Furniture Design & Woodworking
Digital and Organic: Wood Bending and the CNC
with Laura Kishimoto
| Intermediate - Advanced
Laura Kishimoto, Vaulted Stools
Laura Kishimoto, Vaulted Stools
Code: W0101-25
Jun 2 - 13, 2025Past
9AM-5PM
Upcoming Workshops in Furniture Design & Woodworking
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January Studio Sessions: Furniture Design & Woodworking
Jan 4 - 8, 2027
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January Studio Session: Furniture Design & Woodworking
Jan 11 - 15, 2027
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Furniture Design
Jan 18 - 22, 2027
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January Studio Sessions: Furniture Design & Woodworking
Jan 25 - 29, 2027
Discover the Workshop
In this innovative workshop that bridges woodworking and digital fabrication, we utilize the CNC Router to fabricate jigs and molds for bending and cutting joinery. Bending represents a dramatic departure from most traditional fine woodworking. Rather than working with rectilinear geometry, students lean into the materiality of wood and explore its natural strengths through curvature. Reference faces are often non-existent and require unique joinery, creative thinking, and novel use of machinery. Basic drawing techniques in Rhinoceros 3D are introduced as students design and prototype a project specific to their personal style.
View All Furniture Design & Woodworking Workshops
Media & Techniques
Wood, jigs, digital processes, CNC router, Rhinoceros 3D, Aspire CAM, design, bent lamination, steam bending
Meet Your Faculty
Laura Kishimoto
Laura Kishimoto is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. She creates sculptural furniture characterized by its spatial complexity and curiously organic form. Her work is featured in the permanent collections of the Denver Art Museum in Colorado and the Mint Museum in North Carolina.
For general information about studio access, shipping, and more, please visit our info page.
If you have any questions regarding your supplies for your workshop, please contact Lane Preston, [email protected].
What You Need to Bring
Optional Tools & Supplies
- Apron**
- Blue Masking Tape**
- Bubble Wrap**
- Cardboard boxes**
- Combination square or engineering square
- Erasers**
- Laptop and Mouse
- Materials that you would like to incorporate into the project
- Metal Ruler**
- Packing tape**
- Pencils**
- Personal Dust Mask (N95 or higher) or Respirator**
- Personal Hearing Protection
- Personal Safety Glasses**
- Sharpies**
- Sketchbook**
- Tools you own that you would be unhappy without
* Available for purchase in the studio.
** Available to purchase at the Anderson Ranch ArtWorks Store for 10% off. The store aims to stock comparable items, though specific products from the supply list may vary based on inventory.
Learn more about shipping supplies and artwork to and from the Ranch in the Student Handbook.
Housing is limited and includes shared and private lodging options. Reservations will be managed on a first-come, first-served basis. The earlier you reserve housing, the better your chance of receiving your preferred option. Please note: Workshop costs do not include accommodations.
NEW: Course fees includes a welcome dinner and lunches. In our effort to foster a stronger sense of community and accessibility at Anderson Ranch, we include the welcome dinner and all lunches as part of course fees for summer workshop students. Our hope is that this adjustment will encourage all students to come together to share meals and engage in meaningful conversations. The Ranch Café Meal Plan, which is included with Room and Board fees, strives to provide healthy, creative meals that will nourish your artistic creativity. Learn more.
We have established a Business Safety Plan with added layers of precaution that prioritize the health and safety of our staff, students, faculty and guests while continuing to provide you with the Anderson Ranch experience that you know and enjoy.
Getting to the Ranch, local transportation, and amenities in and around Snowmass Village.
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
Studio access, shipping, campus policies, and other information for workshop participants.
Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Please read the workshop description carefully to make sure the workshop is appropriate for your skill level. You must be at least 18 years old to attend an adult workshop.
Payment: A deposit of $650 per workshop is required to reserve a space (with or without housing). The balance of tuition, studio and registration fees, and housing is due 60 days prior to the start of your first workshop and is automatically charged to the credit card used for the deposit.
Cancellations: With at least 60 days’ notice, we will refund your payments less a cancellation fee of $250 per workshop. Cancellations made within 60 days of the start of your workshop will result in a full forfeiture. Housing cancellations follow the same 60-day notice, less $200 per week of housing reserved.
Transfers to another workshop or housing option are possible, space permitting, with at least 60 days’ notice and a $25 transfer fee.
Furniture Design & Woodworking
January Studio Sessions: Furniture Design & Woodworking
with Leslie Rosenberg
Jan 4 - 8, 2027 · 9AM - 5PM
Total: $1,000 · Intermediate - Advanced
Portfolio Review Required
Furniture Design & Woodworking
January Studio Session: Furniture Design & Woodworking
with Leslie Rosenberg
Jan 11 - 15, 2027 · 9AM - 5PM
Total: $1,000 · Intermediate - Advanced
Portfolio Review Required
Furniture Design & Woodworking
Furniture Design
with Brad Reed Nelson
Jan 18 - 22, 2027 · 9AM - 5PM
Total: $1,250 · Beginner - Intermediate - Advanced
Scholarships, College Credit & Discounts
Making Art Accessible
Applications for scholarship support are encouraged. Specific scholarships are funded by Ranch supporters, either through endowed funds or special gifts.
Many colleges and universities offer college credit for workshops taken at Anderson Ranch. Discounts are available for students and teachers.