From Rivers to River Tables

About Us

From restoring rivers to crafting custom furniture, my journey has been rooted in a lifelong connection to nature, an evolving passion for making, and a profound appreciation for legacy.  For three decades, my career was dedicated to the recovery of endangered species, rivers, wetlands and communities.   With a PhD in environmental science and three published scientific papers, I've had a diverse range of experiences - from milking cows in New York and tracking freshwater mussels in the Mississippi Delta to orchestrating a massive conservation plan for the Hudson River.  I've navigated town halls, halls of Congress and the solemn halls of the Pentagon, all while contributing to the restoration of 4,000 acres of forests, streams and wetlands that my children, and so many others, can enjoy for generations.  I'm a husband to Melissa, my lifelong crush, and father to two incredible daughters.  Our family's adventure led us to Locust, NC, in 2022 -- and it's here that Live Edge Exclusives truly began to take shape.  

From Conservation to Functional Art:  Charting a New Legacy

Life took an unexpected turn during and after COVID.  A family relocation to the Charlotte area for my wife's fantastic opportunity, followed by a challenging job hunt, presented a chance to reimagine my path.  While striving to make a tangible difference in the health of our natural world, I found myself increasingly pulled away from the hands-on, in-river work I loved.  My interest in making things truly ignited during COVID.  Like many, I embraced new projects.  A great and truly talented friend and I built a smoke shack for my grills, completed with live edge bar tops and drink rails, which were attached to a pool deck we also constructed.  Then came my first floating desks with epoxy to fill small voids and barn doors for my daughter's room.  When we moved to North Carolina, our new home's potential for custom pieces was undeniable.  I claimed a perfect spot for a floating desk at our first showing and subsequently created 10 floating slab shelves, a floating river desk and a homework/art counter for my kids, complete with a fly-tying station for me.  The need for slabs and a wide-belt sander for all these pieces led me to a local woodshop only a mile from our new home.  I began to realize a hidden talent.  Perhaps my grandfather's handmade pipe chest -- a cherished heirloom that has transitioned from many functional roles and now serves as an art station for my kids - wasn't his only legacy.

The Journey to Functional Artisan

My voyage into practical art began at age 12, tying flies for fly-fishing.  In college, I explored photography, navigating f-stops and dark rooms.  Graduate school brought the challenge of building a small crane for a boat - my "masterpiece" at the time, born out of necessity for scientific sampling.  Later, as my wife and I built our first house, I began to focus on making "pretty" things.  The projects in 2020, for me, were a turning point.  

The Joy of Furniture Making

What excites me most about making furniture is the opportunity to create unique expressions of self for people.  The pieces I cherish aren't necessarily trending - and they're certainly not mass-produced; they're constant reminders of life's moments with loved ones who built or used them first.  They hold deep, personal meaning that you can't buy at a box store.  Knowing that the custom pieces I make will be etched into family lore for generations is both humbling and incredibly fun!  And, every single time -- after making over 100 pieces -- my heart still skips a beat watching the initial pop of wood grain and the shimmer of epoxy as the finish soaks in.

Rooted in Nature, Built for Your Legacy

My inspiration flows from two constant sources: rivers and my grandfather's legacy.  Rivers, ever-changing yet constant, embody the functional art of nature -- a chaotic symphony of sights, scents and sounds that instantly calm and captivate me.  Rivers have a magnetic draw on me; if I'm away too long, I feel off-kilter.  My grandfather, a WWII veteran who crafted furniture in his spare time, planted the seeds of creating with one’s hands.  The pipe chest and other pieces he made are more than just furniture; they are tangible links to cherished memories and the people I hold dear.  They remind me how furniture can become engrained in our lives, carrying stories and becoming part of our family's story.  I am fortunate to have so many phenomenal people in my life who have taught me the meaning of honesty, selflessness and hard work; thankfully, those ethos are deeply rooted.    

I believe that just as I need natural elements in my life, so do my clients.  I listen to your story, understand your space and craft something that feels like it was always meant to be there.  Good furniture matters; it imprints on us because of the experiences associated with it.  I make the furniture that brings nature and beauty into people's homes, creating a legacy through the memories made around them.  Your home matters to you, and this work matters to me.   

What kind of unique piece are you envisioning for your family’s legacy?