Feature Artist Jim Rivers, a “Wizard of Wood” and his Handcrafted Furniture

Jim has been practicing woodcraft since he was a child, he began helping his woodcarver uncle search the woods for just the right piece of wood. Wood searching has been an important part of his life ever since. Over a lifetime, Jim has developed an eye for seeing potential in unusual pieces of wood. “Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to walk through the countryside and find a piece of the Almighty’s creation that I can take home, cut and polish, and turn into something that people will like.” His impressive wood collection includes, cedar, sweet-gum, oak and pine. 

What an untrained eye might see as an imperfection, Jim sees as an opportunity. Its a wonder to watch him work. Crude logs are sawed, shaped and sanded, coaxed by his touch and sense of the wood’s potential. Edges are not precise. Surprises are embraced. The final finished piece is a work of art, no two pieces are alike. Jim works in his wood shop everyday, and is continually collecting new wood and experimenting with new techniques. Butterfield has been graced with his mirrors, tables and benches for years, and they have become enthusiastically collected. When his studio was next door at the former Energy Lab, Jim could be spotted making furniture on the front portico of the gallery. Butterfield Garage will be freshly stocked with new pieces, placed throughout the gallery during the month of June.