Evan Berding

Carrboro, NC | Exhibiting Since 2017

Even before appreciating the artistry or craftsmanship of some of the furniture in my childhood home, I felt the significance of these artifacts. These pieces were not just at my house, they were part of home. As I grew older, this awareness evolved from a purely emotional attachment to one of aesthetic fascination and technical curiosity. So I suppose it is no wonder that after graduating from college, I began taking classes in furniture making and quickly dove headlong into the pursuit of knowledge in all aspects of furniture. Over the years I have worked for and alongside furniture makers in Seattle, Maryland, Boston, and the North Bennet Street School.

Now, as an independent furniture maker in Durham, North Carolina, the skill and understanding instilled by these mentors is present whether I am at the drafting board, in the machine room or working at my bench, but it is that first sense of union with these artifacts that still drives my curiosity. My work seeks Home. With enduring design and time-honored craftsmanship, I create pieces that will weather the clamor of daily life and wait patiently for those quiet moments of reflection, when the tone of wood and the delicacy of details is best appreciated. And with each ding and scratch it will grow more personal, each year richer – a history recorded in the grain and kept for the next generation.