{ meet David Marks } You probably know him as the host of DIY Network’s “Wood Works.” But to those who have become his students and friends, David Marks is so much more – philosopher, artist and mentor. rofessional woodworker David explored hand-cut dovetails together What inspires a man to spend even PMarks finds one-on-one teaching and built a Shaker-style box. an hour away from his family during rewarding, but was especially moved That day, the soldier shared photo- the course of such a short leave? by a recent experience with one of his graphs of furniture from one of Saddam While far from home, this young man students. He spent the day with an Hussein’s palaces, which he had visited had seen Marks perform miracles in American soldier who was on two-week during the first part of his tour. He had the workshop on his television show leave, after which the serviceman was been on the front lines for a year, and “Wood Works,” which airs on the DIY scheduled to return to his station in faced a similar stint upon return. Yet he Network. In the midst of mayhem, a Baghdad. This soldier’s wife had wanted was willing – no, “thrilled” is the right half-hour of woodworking was always a to give her spouse a very special gift, word – to spend one of his 14 precious welcome reprieve. so she booked a whole day with Marks, days of leave in a one-on-one class with While there was no question that JAMIE TANAKA PHOTOGRAPHY JAMIE TANAKA during which the two woodworkers Marks. Marks regarded the soldier as a hero, 01.05 | WOODCRAFTMAGAZINE 59 { meet David Marks } for example, he has become something of a role model for young people. “I get e-mails telling me how it has impacted their lives and changed the way they spend their free time,” he says. Marks tries to balance his teaching and exhibition schedules with time spent on the television show and in the shop. Back in the early ’80s he started out working alone. After a while, he missed the company of others, so he now has a full-time employee. While solitude was a necessary element for the creative process at times, it also could be a little overdone. As his career progressed, he began to teach and share what he was learning. “It was nice to have somebody else come in and bounce a few ideas around,” he says. “And it validated what I was doing. To have them value my work was uplifting, encouraging. “Teaching helps me collect my thoughts. It clarifies what I know, and by articulating it to somebody else, it strengthens that knowledge in me. That only serves to improve the quality of my own work. We all develop systems. We go into the shop and switch on autopilot, performing familiar tasks in a routine manner. When somebody inter- rupts that routine and asks ‘Why?’ – well, it makes you think about why, THE ARTISTIC SIDE of woodworking is evident in many of Marks’ pieces. His attention doesn’t it?” to detail and knack for design have earned him numerous awards and commissions. Part of what David Marks teach- es is paying attention to fine details. he was humbled to find that the feeling secrets of bentwood lamination or the Technically brilliant while it sometimes was reciprocal. intricacies of bandsaw veneering. challenges established aesthetics, his “My goal,” he says on his Web site, own woodworking is both art and A love of learning … “is to provide small, accessible classes craft. In California, his pieces grace and teaching to fellow woodworkers, and to have the galleries such as Tercera, William Marks is an erudite, yet humble soul. opportunity to engage in an open dia- Zimmer, Gumps and Gallery M. He His vast knowledge of woodworking logue about woodworking.” has had work on display in New York and the countless awards he has earned Marks takes his classroom on the at the American Craftsman Gallery somehow still seem to surprise him. road too, teaching an array of subjects in Rockefeller Center, and in Boston Here is a man who uses language nationwide at venues like Woodcraft at the Gallery NAGA. And his pieces beautifully. He peppers his speech with stores, the Woodworking Shows, and appear in numerous collections across complex concepts, but does so in such the famed Marc Adams School in the country, from the Contemporary a relaxed manner that nothing escapes Franklin, Ind. Based on his clients’ Museum of Art in Honolulu to the his audience. He is, by nature, a teacher. requests, he schedules such classes as Brookside Institute in New Jersey. People travel from all over the country bowl turning, finishing and inlay tech- He currently has work on display in to spend a few days in his quiet Pacific niques. the Sculpture Garden of the Paradise Coast workshop, learning in small Teaching has led to some surprising Ridge Winery in Santa Rosa, Calif., groups or one-on-one as he shares the rewards. As the host of “Wood Works,” where he also built the bar. It took 250 PHOTOGRAPHY JAMIE TANAKA 60 WOODCRAFTMAGAZINE | 01.05 Here is a man who uses language beautifully. He peppers his speech with complex concepts, but does so in such a relaxed manner that nothing escapes his audience. He is, by nature, a teacher. hours to complete and showcases dou- work from the greatest artists in histo- history. This further laid the foundation ble-double marquetry set into the bar ry,” he says. “What an inspiration!” for his own design work, but to express top – a collage of purpleheart grapes This early exposure to the classics that vision, he needed to perfect his and quilted mahogany leaves, where has guided his hand throughout his technical skills. He finished out the the carefully selected quilted grain rep- career. decade with hands-on training in vari- resents veins in the leaves. “My inspiration is derived from ous cabinet and furniture shops and, by In California, Marks’ work has a fusion of styles including ancient 1981 – married and the new owner of a been exhibited at the Brand Library Egyptian, African, Art Nouveau, Art home and workshop in Santa Rosa – he Art Galleries in Glendale, the Art Deco and Asian,” he says. The influ- was ready to spread his wings. Furnishings Shows in Pasadena and ence of ancient Egypt was underscored He spent the next 10 years building Santa Monica, the Museum of Craft and early on when he witnessed the splen- one-of-a-kind furniture, melding mod- Folk Art in San Francisco and the del dor of the traveling King Tut exhibit ern influences – Sam Maloof, James Mano Gallery in Los Angeles. Pieces and saw first-hand the magnificent Krenov, Wendell Castle, Art Carpenter have appeared in shows curated and Gary Knox Bennett by the American Crafts Council among them – with his classi- in both Baltimore and San cal roots. During this period, Francisco. He has exhibited at an audience of his peers began the Sausalito Arts Festival, the to celebrate his craftsmanship Masters & Apprentices Show and originality with a series of in San Rafael, the Sculpture awards. Objects & Functional Art Then, a dozen years ago, his Exhibition in Chicago and doz- career and his vision moved in ens of other prestigious venues a new direction. In the 1990s, across the country. his focus shifted more toward woodturning and sculpture. Influences and By 2000, he was exhibiting education pieces in Los Angeles, and the Growing up in New Jersey, following year he earned two Marks took full advantage of prestigious NICHE awards in his ability to skip into the city Philadelphia in the categories and spend a day at New York’s cele- artistry that existed in the Valley of the of mixed/miscellaneous media, and gar- brated Metropolitan Museum of Art Kings in 1300 B.C. den art/sculpture. whenever he wanted. Art was a way During the 1970s, Marks studied art Given all the aspects of his craft – of life in his home – his mother was at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz, Calif., contemporary furniture, patination fin- a classical piano player. At the Met, where a degree still requires students to ishes, creating Arts & Crafts, Shaker and he was astounded at the quality of the tackle design and color, three-dimen- contemporary pieces for the television HAP SAKWA PHOTOGRAPHY HAP SAKWA art. “Right before me was the very best sional form and a healthy dose of art show – Marks says that turning is per- 01.05 | WOODCRAFTMAGAZINE 61 haps his favorite. you bring the workpiece to the tools – a endeavor offer so many options?” “It’s the most fun,” he laughs. “I tried board to the saw, perhaps, or a joint to In his own shop, there’s little evi- pottery and working with clay in high a mortising machine. In turning, you dence of the production machinery school, but it was so hard to control. bring the tools to the wood.” common to so many pros. All of his Wood, while it certainly presents other He likes the nonlinear shapes turning equipment uses single-phase power, challenges, at least holds its form. And it produces, as opposed to the usual box- although he does have some substan- is relatively stable.” like fare common to most woodwork- tial machinery – a 12" Parks planer This is a man who values stability. ing. Turning and sculpture have led him keeps company with a 1940s bandsaw The father of two grown children, he to explore not just shapes, but also tex- and a cast iron 16" jointer with Babbet and his wife have just celebrated their tures.