Meet Ray Conaway

RAY CONAWAY has been making handmade Windsors for over 17 years, 11 years in Vermont and 6 years in Asheville, North Carolina. “I work by myself,” says Ray, “using turn of the century hand tools and native woods, as the chairmakers of our ancestors did. I use White Pine for my seats that I air-dry for a minimum of two years – this gives them stability and prevents future splitting or checking. White Pine carves well and accepts the hardwood spindles and legs graciously. I sculpture the seat by hand, leaving the tool marks apparent. The Red Maple I use for the legs, stretchers, and armposts turns well on the lathe and offers a strong leg structure for generations of use. The steam-bent back and hand drawn spindles are split from Hickory or Oak; both are strong, flexible, straight-grained hardwoods. The riven (split) pieces are then hand drawn and shaved to the exact dimensions for the backs. Splitting the wood along the grain lines, rather than cutting it, gives each piece the maximum strength possible, enabling me to offer a more delicate but an even stronger chair. I leave the facets from the spoke shave on the spindles and let the sticks (old lore word) “STAND PROUD” (raised through tenon). The rocking chair runners and crests are cut from beautifully grained Red Oak that I steam-bend and hand carve. The paint I use is eco-friendly milk paint. I apply a two coat burnished finish and seal with a satin glaze.” 

For nine years, Ray Conaway demonstrated chairmaking at the “Old Mill Museum” in Weston, Vermont. He has conducted more than a dozen workshops at his studio/workshop in those years. He displayed and sold his chairs in many juried shows in Vermont, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania – 7 years with craft producers in more than 15 shows, several years with the “Providence Fine Furniture” show in Rhode Island, and the “Philadelphia Fine Furnishings” show in Pennsylvania.  In 2007, Ray demonstrated and taught many of the steps in chair making at "The Third Annual Heritage Days at the Depot" at the historic train depot in Belton, SC.  The event drew over 6,500 people including 1300 teachers and teachers. 

Ray’s chairs adorn homes throughout the United States as well as Germany and England. The Ethan Allen House in Burlington, Vermont, now a nationally recognized museum, displays one of Conaway’s commissioned chairs.  Ray Conaway chairs are signed and dated and will last for many generations. “They become heirlooms with the passing of time . . . an investment you, your children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren can enjoy and pass down through the ages,” says Ray.

Ray Conaway is proudly represented by WICKWIRE fine art/folk art in Hendersonville, North Carolina.