Emmette Smith, originally from Tennessee, relocated to Minnesota at the age of 16. He has always had a penchant for art from painting watercolors to shaping clay pottery items. He also enjoys tattooing and has experience with metalworking. Eventually, though, he returned to his true passion: woodworking.

His grandfather taught him the skills of woodworking at a young age. The smell of fresh cut wood combined with the sound of a lathe or table saw still get his creative juices flowing to this day. After his time in the US Navy, he wanted to get back into creating some form of art. Armed with a few hand tools, he began crafting functional woodworking art that he then sold at a local farmers’ market.

Emmette’s collection included such items as coffee tables, wine bottle holders, and light fixtures. The art was fashioned from repurposed, reclaimed wood, with a combination of steel piping. The pieces he created had a uniqueness of design that not only showed his artistic ability but also his skills in making art that was completely functional for everyday life.

Emmette continues to increase his woodworking skills and artistic repertoire of items. The newest additions to his line are hand turned writing pens. For Emmette, his workshop has become a place of meditation where he’s able to distance himself from the pressures of the world and just enjoy the smells of fresh wood being made into incredible pieces of art, all the while honing his skills.