Ron Barter
After studying at the Ontario College of Art, Ron worked as a commercial photographer and graphic designer before turning his attention to furniture. In 1987 he started Carriage House Designs, designing and building limited production and commissioned furniture for clients in both Canada and the United States. In 1992 he moved to Perth, Ontario to continue working on commissions from a studio a stone's throw from his home near Otty Lake.
While his work is influenced by a wide variety of historical furniture styles, he also draws inspiration from outside the tradition of furniture making. Such diverse sources as traditional Japanese architecture, early 20th century industrial design and the forms of his natural surroundings are all echoed in his work.
A founding member of The Furniture Society, Ron has an enthusiasm for furniture making and design that he has shared with students at Rosewood Studio since 2002. In July 2007, he became the owner of the school, where he continues to draw on over thirty-five years of experience designing and building furniture.
Guest Instructors
Since the school's inception in 2002, it has been our pleasure to have hosted literally dozens of the finest furniture designers and makers from across North America as guest instructors. More than great teachers with a passion for furniture making, they have a background of designing and building furniture professionally, with an understanding that goes beyond the academic or theoretical. Whatever difficulties students might face, chances are that your instructor has been there, and found a workable solution to the problem.
Adrian Ferrazzutti
Adrian Ferrazzutti of Guelph, Ontario, has over twenty years’ professional experience as a maker of fine furniture and decorative wooden objects. He is a 1998 graduate of the Fine Woodworking Program at the College of the Redwoods in California, where he studied for two years with James Krenov.
Adrian is a multiple Canada Council for the Arts grant recipient, and his work has been exhibited in cities across both Canada and the United States including Toronto, New York and Chicago. Widely published in books and magazines, he is a contributing writer for Fine Woodworking magazine, where his Luna chair was featured on the back cover of the December 2007 issue.
In addition to Rosewood Studio, Adrian has taught at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine, Marc Adams School of Woodworking in Indiana and Anderson Ranch in Colorado.
www.ferrazzuttifurniture.com
Adrian is a multiple Canada Council for the Arts grant recipient, and his work has been exhibited in cities across both Canada and the United States including Toronto, New York and Chicago. Widely published in books and magazines, he is a contributing writer for Fine Woodworking magazine, where his Luna chair was featured on the back cover of the December 2007 issue.
In addition to Rosewood Studio, Adrian has taught at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine, Marc Adams School of Woodworking in Indiana and Anderson Ranch in Colorado.
www.ferrazzuttifurniture.com
Adrian Ferrazzutti
Garrett Hack
Garrett Hack's civil engineering background often comes into play designing joinery and in every way trying to design and build furniture with lightness and elegance. Garrett divides his time between making furniture - almost entirely commissions with each piece unique, writing books and articles, and teaching across North America and around the world.
Garrett is a contributing editor for Fine Woodworking Magazine and has written two books: The Handplane Book, and Classic Hand Tools. In forty years of making furniture, he has created pieces that reside throughout the United States, in Canada, Europe, and in the permanent collection of the Bennington Museum, Bennington, VT.
www.garretthack.com
Garrett is a contributing editor for Fine Woodworking Magazine and has written two books: The Handplane Book, and Classic Hand Tools. In forty years of making furniture, he has created pieces that reside throughout the United States, in Canada, Europe, and in the permanent collection of the Bennington Museum, Bennington, VT.
www.garretthack.com
Garrett Hack
Jim Garven
After retiring from his veterinary practice, Jim Garven completed our 12 Week Craftsman Program in 2015, and has been an integral part of the school ever since. His work most often incorporates curves and bends of some description, fearlessly tackling the challenges of everything from a Hans Wegner Round Chair with a woven cord seat and a one-piece steam bent crest rail, to an acoustic guitar in mahogany, sitka spruce, rosewood and ebony with mother-of-pearl inlay.
Always watchful for anyone that needs a helping hand, he is a talented and valued member of the team here at Rosewood and an outstanding creator of cookies and squares to boot. He lives nearby in Jasper, Ontario.
Jim Garven
Karen McBride
Karen McBride creates unique furniture forms with a magical combination of structural and aesthetic elements that push beyond traditional boundaries. Her work is driven by the allure of flowing curves and the desire to achieve a perfect balance between grace and utility.
In 2001 Karen dismantled, relocated and restored a 200-year-old log house to serve as her studio. Hand hewn logs, carved white oak stair risers and trim created with antique molding planes grace her work space in Dunrobin, Ontario, Canada.
In addition to commissioned work, Karen shares her passion by teaching and writing about her craft.
www.woodkiltonstudio.com
In 2001 Karen dismantled, relocated and restored a 200-year-old log house to serve as her studio. Hand hewn logs, carved white oak stair risers and trim created with antique molding planes grace her work space in Dunrobin, Ontario, Canada.
In addition to commissioned work, Karen shares her passion by teaching and writing about her craft.
www.woodkiltonstudio.com
Karen McBride
Michael Fortune
Michael Fortune maintains his studio near Peterborough, Ontario where he designs and makes furniture for residences across North America. His teaching experience includes eight years at Sheridan College, Rochester Institute of Technology NY, the Kootenay School of the Arts BC and numerous courses in summer programs at art centers in the United States. He is active in educating woodworkers around the globe about the responsible use of tropical hardwoods, and in facilitating connections between the woodworking craft and the social and economic growth of underdeveloped countries.
In 1993 Fortune received the prestigious Prix Saidye Bronfman, Canada's highest award in the crafts. Juried by his peers, he is the first furniture designer/maker to receive this award. In 2007 Michael received the Furniture Society's Award of Distinction. He truly is one of the top North American furniture designers.
Michael's work is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Civilization (Ottawa), Royal Ontario Museum, Claridge Collection of Canadian Art and Craft (Montreal), Massey Foundation, Ontario Crafts Council Collection, and The National Capital Commission in Ottawa.
www.michaelfortune.com
In 1993 Fortune received the prestigious Prix Saidye Bronfman, Canada's highest award in the crafts. Juried by his peers, he is the first furniture designer/maker to receive this award. In 2007 Michael received the Furniture Society's Award of Distinction. He truly is one of the top North American furniture designers.
Michael's work is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Civilization (Ottawa), Royal Ontario Museum, Claridge Collection of Canadian Art and Craft (Montreal), Massey Foundation, Ontario Crafts Council Collection, and The National Capital Commission in Ottawa.
www.michaelfortune.com
Michael Fortune
Steven Der-Garabedian
When furniture maker, author and instructor Steve Der-Garabedian discovered woodworking in the early 1990’s, he dove right in, working on his own and absorbing as much as he could, citing everything from books to the work of Norm Abrams on The New Yankee Workshop on television. Eventually, one of James Krenov’s books lead him to enroll in formal classes at Rosewood Studio, where he gained further insight into the craft working with staff and guest instructors from across North America.
Steve is a frequent contributor to Canadian Woodworking and Home Improvement magazine, and the author of Veneering Essentials: Simple Techniques & Practical Projects for Today's Woodworker, published in 2021 by Cedar Lane Press. He lives and operates Black Walnut Studio in Mississauga, Ontario.
www.blackwalnutstudio.ca
Steve is a frequent contributor to Canadian Woodworking and Home Improvement magazine, and the author of Veneering Essentials: Simple Techniques & Practical Projects for Today's Woodworker, published in 2021 by Cedar Lane Press. He lives and operates Black Walnut Studio in Mississauga, Ontario.
www.blackwalnutstudio.ca
Steve Der-Garabedian
Tom Fidgen
Tom Fidgen is an author, musician, designer and maker living in Toronto, Ontario.
“I began my journey into wood working growing up on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. After working for 10 years in the set design industry, traveling from Mexico to Monaco, I started building traditional wooden boats in a one-man boat shop back on the east coast. I thoroughly enjoyed the boat building process, and started using hand tools more and more in my work. When the economy took a turn for the worse, I began building custom furniture using only hand tools and the rest as they say, is history.”
Tom has written for Fine Woodworking, Popular Woodworking, and Canadian Woodworking magazines, and is the author of two books, Made by Hand and The Unplugged Woodshop. His school of the same name is in Toronto, Ontario.
www.theunpluggedwoodshop.com
“I began my journey into wood working growing up on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. After working for 10 years in the set design industry, traveling from Mexico to Monaco, I started building traditional wooden boats in a one-man boat shop back on the east coast. I thoroughly enjoyed the boat building process, and started using hand tools more and more in my work. When the economy took a turn for the worse, I began building custom furniture using only hand tools and the rest as they say, is history.”
Tom has written for Fine Woodworking, Popular Woodworking, and Canadian Woodworking magazines, and is the author of two books, Made by Hand and The Unplugged Woodshop. His school of the same name is in Toronto, Ontario.
www.theunpluggedwoodshop.com
Tom Fidgen
Vic Tesolin
Vic's career in woodworking began after serving 14 years in the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery. Following his honorable discharge, he studied furniture design and making at Rosewood Studio under the guidance of some of North America's top furniture makers. After completing his studies he began designing and building furniture by commission while working at Rosewood as a part-time instructor and craftsman in residence.
Vic went on to become editor at Canadian Woodworking & Home Improvement Magazine, followed by the position of Woodworking Advisor at Lee Valley Tools, where he had the opportunity to help develop tools and travel around the world to teach and present at various conferences, shows, and woodworking events. Today, he runs Vic Tesolin Woodworks and does consulting for woodworking companies around the world from his home and shop in Burlington, Ontario.
Vic is the author of The Minimalist Woodworker and the soon to be released Projects From The Minimalist Woodworker.
www.victesolin.com
Vic went on to become editor at Canadian Woodworking & Home Improvement Magazine, followed by the position of Woodworking Advisor at Lee Valley Tools, where he had the opportunity to help develop tools and travel around the world to teach and present at various conferences, shows, and woodworking events. Today, he runs Vic Tesolin Woodworks and does consulting for woodworking companies around the world from his home and shop in Burlington, Ontario.
Vic is the author of The Minimalist Woodworker and the soon to be released Projects From The Minimalist Woodworker.
www.victesolin.com