Furniture Design & Woodworking
Code: W1417-25
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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.
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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.
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P
Portfolio Review Required
Students have advanced skill and knowledge of furniture design and know how to use machine and hand tools competently and safely. Students are highly motivated and have multiple portfolios of their artwork and are professionals in the field.
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S
Facilitated Studio Practice
Summer Studio Session: Furniture Design and Sculpture, Week 1
Sep 15 - 19, 2025
9AM-5PM
Concept
Engage with two of Anderson Ranch’s exceptional studios—Furniture Design and Sculpture—in this interdisciplinary session. Participants will have access to both the metal and the Maloof Wood Barn machine shop, enabling the creation of mixed media furniture or sculptural objects. The session encourages the integration of diverse processes, including metal sand casting, inlay, welding, metal patination, lighting, and traditional wood joinery, fostering innovation across materials and techniques. Participants may also choose to work exclusively in the wood shop or the sculpture studio.
Studio Sessions at Anderson Ranch
Studio Sessions at Anderson Ranch provide artists with a unique opportunity to pursue independent projects while receiving personalized mentorship and critique from Anderson Ranch artistic staff and interns. Each participant is assigned a dedicated studio space and receives an orientation, access to specialized equipment, and opportunities for group demonstrations and/or critiques.
Artists may choose to register for either a one-week or two-week session. This program reflects the experience of nationally and internationally recognized artists who work in our state-of-the-art facilities. Studio Sessions offer an ideal environment to expand your practice, explore new media, take creative risks, or complete work for exhibition.
Studio Access and Hours
Studios are open 24 hours a day; however, access to machines and equipment is limited due to safety requirements. Machine rooms are only available during monitored hours: weekdays from 9 AM to 5 PM, and evenings Monday through Thursday from 7 to 9 PM.
IMPORTANT DETAILS:
Participants are responsible for all material costs associated with their projects. Some materials with a limited supply will be available for purchase in the studios.
Studio Sessions are available to artists with prior experience with tools and safety. All participants will be required to attend safety orientations for the facilities and specific tools they will use. Participants are expected to be self-directed in the development of their projects. Each participant can anticipate receiving approximately one hour per day of focused individual guidance and instruction from Anderson Ranch staff.
TO APPLY:
Applicants must submit project proposals and portfolios for approval. Applicants who wish to access either the woodshop, the metal sculpture facilities, or both must have prior machine operation experience in the respective studios.
Portfolios will be accepted on a rolling basis. Instructions on how to submit your portfolio are as follows:
• Submit digital images of your work in one single PDF (as opposed to individual JPG attachments) via email directly to Betsy Alwin, Artistic Director of Ceramics and Expanded Media at [email protected]
• The single PDF must be less than 10 MB to be considered.
• Please send a short paragraph of how you plan to use the studio session time listing your goals and techniques.
• Include 3-8 images of your work with image identification that lists the title, media, dimensions and year of each image.
• While not required, it is helpful to see an artist statement addressing the images you send.
• Include “Advanced Portfolio Review” in the subject line of your email, as well as the studio session you are applying for.
• Please provide a phone number where you can be reached and a link to your website.
• Submissions that do not follow these guidelines will not be reviewed. Please address all questions to [email protected]
Media & Techniques
Wood, metal, machine shop, welding, metal fabrication
Faculty
William Lanzillo
Studio Coordinator, Sculpture
William Lanzillo is the Studio Coordinator of Sculpture at Anderson Ranch. He is a sculptor whose work includes objects, performances, and interactive experiences. He recently earned an MFA in Sculpture from Cranbrook Academy of Art.
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.
"Caldera," cherry burl, ebonized oak, metal
Workshop Details
Workshop Supplies
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].
Provided by Anderson Ranch
Equipment
- Bandsaw
- Chisels
- Drill Press
- Gouges
- Hand Planes
- Jointer
- Orbital Sander
- Planer
- Spokeshaves
- Tablesaw
- Wire-Feed welder
- Tig Welder
- Oxy-Ace welding
- Hydraulic Press
- Forge
- Foundry
- Cold-saw
- Sanders
Supplies
- Glue
- Sand Paper
- Patina
- Oxy-acetylene
- Wire feed welding wire
What you need to bring
Required Tools and Supplies
- Personal Dust Mask (N95 or higher) or Respirator**
- Personal Hearing Protection
- Personal Saftey Glasses**
- Closed toe shoes
- All natural clothing
Optional Tools and Supplies
- Blue Masking Tape**
- Bubble Wrap**
- Cardboard boxes**
- Erasers**
- Packing tape**
- Pencils**
- Sharpies**
- Sketchbook**
- Tools you own that you would be unhappy without
- Water bottle
* 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.
Lodging & Meals
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.
Furniture Design & Woodworking
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
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.
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Anderson Ranch’s January Studio Sessions provide artists the opportunity to work on independent projects while receiving mentoring and critique sessions with Anderson Ranch artistic staff and interns. Each participant receives an assigned studio space, orientation, and access to equipment, as well as some morning group demonstrations and / or critiques. This program affords artists the experience enjoyed by national and international artists who access our state-of-the-art studios. Participants may expand their practices, take artistic risks, try new media or complete works for exhibition. *Studios are open 24 hours a day and on weekends for students enrolled in multiple weeks, with limited use of equipment due to safety requirements. The machine rooms are only available when monitored – weekdays 9 AM-5 PM. Evening monitoring hours are Mondays - Thursdays, 7 – 9 PM. IMPORTANT DETAILS: Students will be responsible for all material costs associated with their projects. Participants who register for multiple consecutive weeks will gain access to the studios on weekends (with the exception of the machine rooms due to safety constraints.) Private dorm rooms are available at Anderson Ranch for one, two or three weeks for an additional fee; click here to view January 2025 lodging options. TO APPLY: Applicants must submit project proposals or portfolios for approval. Contact Betsy Alwin to apply: [email protected]
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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.
-
IV
Level IV
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