Amanda Russell
Founder
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Amanda grew up in El Paso, Texas where she was raised by both her father and grandfather, who had garage shops where they built furniture, restored antique clocks, and worked on old cars. Watching them create and bring new life to old furniture and cars instilled in her a love of creativity and a desire work with her hands from a very young age.
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Her journey in woodworking began in 2014, when she asked her father to teach her how to use a lathe. From the moment she held the tool in her hands, she knew this was the beginning of a lifelong pursuit of this craft. After building some small projects with the help of her father, she moved to Austin, Texas to pursue a Woodworking Certification at Austin Community College in 2016.
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Through this program, she was taught by very enthusiastic instructors, including master craftsman Michael Colca, whose obvious passion and joy in his work solidified her decision to make this her career. Through this same program, she met Philip Morley another master furniture maker, whose incredible eye for design and technical execution inspired her to pursue woodworking full time. Michael and Philips passion for teaching motivated her to someday pass along the wealth of knowledge that was graciously given to her.
Six months after finishing her certification, and working at a lumberyard, Philip asked her to help with a large executive desk build at his shop, which began her 4 year journey as an apprentice at Philip Morley Furniture. She is now branching off to start her personal career as a furniture maker and woodworking instructor. She has taught and assisted classes at Austin School of Furniture.
Amanda is heavily influenced by Scandinavian and Mid Century Modern design: clean lines, geometric shapes, and sustainable, quality materials. She believes we should surround ourselves with items that inspire joy, creativity, and tell a story as unique as the people and spaces surrounding them.
Her passion for sharing this craft with others is equally as important to her as building furniture. Her belief is to be a creative of any kind, we are equally as important as the work we produce. As someone whose unique journey was heavily influenced by her identity and mental health, she hopes to create warm, safe spaces where people can learn and pursue the craft of woodworking while fully embracing themselves and their work, and lean on a welcoming and supportive community.
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