Meet Joseph Kitt 

JOSEPH KITT earned a degree in Horticulture from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1997 where the study of plant and tree species from around the world was his focus for five years. What began as a concentration on the research of plant propagation, cultivation, biochemistry and physiology, finally evolved into an interest in the preservation of various wood types through the art of furniture making. Joseph began teaching himself various woodworking techniques three years ago (2005-06) and says he has grown to love every aspect of the craft. "From the lumberyard to the finishing room I find great joy and satisfaction in turning raw wood into a functional piece of art. To me, a living tree is characterized by its form, function and its beauty and therefore the furniture created from such trees should also possess those qualities. Various aspects of the wood such as size, shape, color and grain pattern will help create the form while the function is achieved through the use of proper design elements. The beauty is inherently present in all wood long before it has ever been worked -- all I do is re-arrange what already exists to show that beauty in a different way. "
Most all of the wood Joseph uses comes from trees at least 60-80 years old and many as old as 200 years. "The life of a tree should not end after it has fallen or been cut," says Joseph, " in fact for the pieces of wood which end up in my wood-shop, it is just the beginning. By using traditional joinery and finishing techniques, I intend to create furniture that will easily surpass the age of the tree from which it came and last many, many generations to come."

North Carolina is home to Joseph and his wife Amy.

Joseph Kitt is proudly represented by WICKWIRE fine art/folk art in Hendersonville, North Carolina.