the handi-craft experience

A Unique Opportunity for Arts & Crafts Devotees

The original Arts & Crafts movement was about much more than design. Its essence, as Gustav Stickley wrote in “The Craftsman” more than a century ago was, “an art created by the people for the people: simple, sincere and structural; an art wherein the designer and the craftsman shall be one and the same individual, creating for his own pleasure.” 

The Handi-Craft Experience at Gregory Paolini Design LLC gives you an opportunity to participate in the creation of an authentic piece of Arts & Crafts furniture. This is a one-on-one woodworking experience like no other. You can choose from the classic Arts & Crafts pieces of 100 years ago, or from among Gregory’s original designs. With Gregory Paolini by your side, you construct the piece using the same techniques that the original Arts & Crafts artisans employed, all from a quaint workshop, surrounded by the Great Smokey Mountains.

You do not need any prior woodworking experience in order to appreciate and enjoy the Handi-Craft Experience. When it comes time to construct your piece, you can be as involved as you care to be. Gregory will demonstrate every technique you need to know, and can provide as much assistance as you need. You will learn how to work with the wood species of your choice, how to cut perfect mortise and tenon joints, tight-fitting dovetails for drawers, and other related tasks. At the end of construction, both you and Gregory will sign your masterpiece. With the construction phase completed, you’ll then leave the piece for Gregory to complete all of the tedious sanding and fitting. He’ll then assemble, glue up, and finish it to our museum quality standards. Gregory will also take care of any other details, such as upholstery work. Once the finish has cured, you can pick up your completed masterpiece, or we can arrange professional blanket wrap shipping to anywhere.

The Handi-Craft Experience at Gregory Paolini Designs will allow you to understand first-hand what John Ruskin meant when he wrote: “It is not by paying for them, but by understanding them, that we become the real possessors of works of art and of the enjoyment they give.”

There is no way to get a more Authentic piece of Arts & Crafts furniture, other than to take part in its creation.  Experiences are arranged to suit your schedule and vary in duration, depending on the complexity of the piece you choose to build. For more information, and pricing,  please call us at 828-627-3948