Furniture Design & Woodworking
Furniture Design & Woodworking Studio in Aspen / Snowmass
The Furniture Design & Woodworking studio at Anderson Ranch Arts Center, located in Snowmass Village near Aspen, Colorado, is a fully equipped professional woodworking facility designed to support immersive studio practice and advanced craftsmanship. Housed in the Maloof Wood Barn, the studio offers dedicated bench space, industrial-grade machinery, hand tools, and digital fabrication resources, including CNC integration—supporting both traditional woodworking techniques and contemporary design processes.
Interested in enrolling? Explore the full schedule of Furniture Design & Woodworking workshops at Anderson Ranch.
The Furniture Design & Woodworking program at Anderson Ranch draws upon the world of studio furniture, but pushes the boundaries of woodworking by mixing contemporary and traditional techniques and incorporating alternative materials. Anderson Ranch offers an inspiring range of workshops for all levels in topics such as cabinetry, wood bending, kinetics and carving.
The Maloof Wood Barn, divided into a machine room, assembly room, and bench room, provides participants the ideal workshop for realizing technical and creative goals. The machine room houses stationary equipment including SawStop table saws, jointers, planers, bandsaws, drill presses, edge sander, disk sander, drum sander, spindle sander, radial arm saw, chop saw, router table and multi-router. In the assembly and bench rooms, a library of clamps, hand tools, and hand-held power tools line the walls for student use to complete their woodworking projects.
Don’t know where to start? View the skill levels for Furniture Design & Woodworking workshops.
Anderson Ranch Arts Center is a historic, rustic campus that features gravel pathways and uneven terrain that may pose challenges for individuals using wheelchairs or other mobility devices. We strive to provide accommodations to ensure all guests can access and enjoy our programs and facilities. With advance notice, our staff can offer personalized assistance and coordinate access to studios and campus spaces. For questions or to request an accommodation, please contact us at (970) 923-3181 or [email protected].
The Furniture Society and Anderson Ranch are partnering this year to offer a scholarship for one BIPOC applicant to attend a workshop for the 2026 summer season. This opportunity includes tuition for a one-week workshop, room and board for a Furniture Design and Wood workshop, and a 1‑year membership to The Furniture Society. Applications will be accepted now through January 4, 2026. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
Anderson Ranch is happy to extend a 20% tuition discount for summer one- or two-week adult furniture design and woodworking workshops for Furniture Society members at the student membership level or above. Please email [email protected] with your Furniture Society membership information prior to registering and we will send you a promo code to complete registration with your discount applied. You are also welcome to call 970-924-5089 to register after verifying your membership with us. **Please note, this discount must be approved prior to registering and cannot be applied retroactively. The Furniture Society discount does not apply to Advanced Mentored Studies programs or Destination Workshops, nor can it be combined with any other discount, scholarship or special offer
Lane Preston
Studio Coordinator, Furniture Design and Woodworking
Lane Preston, originally from Houston, Texas, received his BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago with an emphasis in Photography and Sculpture in 2016. After graduation he worked as an exhibitions coordinator and photographer for art and design galleries to put on exhibitions all over the world. In 2021, he went to Florence, Italy, for his MFA in Furniture Fabrication and Design, after teaching abroad for two years.
Anderson Ranch Campus
Upcoming Workshops
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I
Level I
Students are new to Furniture Design & Woodworking and have no formal training.
Aug 3 - 7, 2026
9 AM - 5 PM
The Furniture Maker’s Voice: A Sculptural Approach
Annie Evelyn
Tuition $1,250
Code W1009-26
Engage in innovation and meaningful design in this workshop that focuses on clarifying an artist’s voice through a sculptural approach to furniture-making. We ideate, design, build, and discuss how to develop personal styles and details. Annie gives demonstrations in intermediate joinery, carving, shaping, and other techniques that respond to each student’s direction. Time is spent learning to articulate ideas to others and sharing feedback in a nurturing community of makers. Whether refining work in progress or starting a new body of work, this workshop is for anyone who wants to build their skill base, make meaningful furniture, and have a whole lot of fun creating it!
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IV
Level IV
Students have advanced skill and knowledge of furniture design. Students are highly motivated and have multiple portfolios of their artwork.
Aug 17 - 21, 2026
9 AM - 5 PM
Joinery Intensive: Cabinets, Chests, and Bureaus
Miguel Gómez-Ibáñez
Tuition $1,200
Code W1211-26
This advanced-level woodworking class guides students through honing their cabinetmaking skills to the level of their design ambitions. Emphasis is placed on the design and construction of cabinets, chests, and bureaus. Topics include dovetails, mortise and tenon joinery, frame and panel construction, and doors and drawers. Participants learn the proper application of each type of joint in the construction of a small cabinet of their own design. The goal of this workshop is to develop both machine skills and confidence in the use of hand tools in the construction of traditional joinery. Modest-sized projects are encouraged in this skill building experience, with the hope of leaving with a completed work.
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I
Level I
Students are new to Furniture Design & Woodworking and have no formal training.
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II
Level II
Students have experience working with stationary machines and power tools and are familiar with basic principles of joinery and 3-D design.
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III
Level III
Students have some formal training in 3-D design, experience with a variety of materials and fabrication processes, and know how to use machine and hand tools competently and safely. Students have a portfolio of their artwork.
Aug 24 - 28, 2026
9 AM - 5 PM
Handcarved: Making a Two-Board Chair
Charles Thompson
Tuition $1,200
Code W1312-26
Learn to make a unique, two-board chair in an Alpine vernacular. This class introduces and hones skills in joinery, relief carving, and design. Students utilize hand tools to create components and joints, including tapered sliding dovetails and through-tenons. Each student is encouraged to develop a vocabulary in pattern carving throughout the week as they work either from a template or from their own design compiled from practiced patterns. Though elements of this class may be physically strenuous, all levels are welcome and guided through this innovative process.