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An Ozarks craftsman Terry Stewart turns trees into lumber into art Story By James Bell Photos by Bonnie Bailey In today’s world of mass produced goods ranging from clothing to shoes, it would seem there is little room for the craftsman who once supplied all of the goods for yesterday’s consumer. We have the Amish, of course, who still produce fine furniture without the aid of modern machinery along with clothing and other handmade items. And in the hills of the Ozarks we still have individuals who are renowned for their craftsmanship. Their finished products are equal in quality to that of the men who made furniture for our colonial ancestors. Terry
Stewart, of Steelville, in The physical labor involved in crafting wood furniture, from cutting and drying the tree to producing a finished piece of fine furniture, might turn some people off. It is hard work. For people like Terry, each finished entertainment center, bed or table and chairs is a labor of love. Terry
has worked in timber all his life.
He can look at one of our native cedars and see a finished piece
of furniture. Instead of an
untouched tree, he envisions something that would enhance the beauty of
any home, and one that would be treasured for generations.
To most of us, cutting and hauling a large cedar tree out of the
woods, and then going through the process of trimming, drying, and then
sawing it into usable boards, might seem formidable.
We would be inclined to think of the sweat, biting insects, and
hard work involved in producing the desired addition to the home.
Instead of running for our chainsaw, most of us would be incline
to pick up a catalog containing pictures of handmade Amish furniture.
But not Terry. He can
produce furniture in quality to that of the Amish. “I really don’t have the room I need for woodworking,” he told me. “I have to make do with what I have to work with.” Since then, his situation has changed. He is in the process of building a workshop where he can pursue his part-time craft. One of his first projects, once the shop is completed, will be a large cedar bed he already has an order for. As any craftsman can tell you, duplication of an existing piece of furniture is almost impossible. Each individual product is unique, such as the bed he made for his wife Cheryl (see pictures). “Right now I’m pressed for time,” he said. “With the church camp getting into high gear, I have to use every spare minute to get extra work completed.” As
with most people who have an avocation or vocation that is a labor of
love, Terry and his wife work full-time.
They are caretakers for a church camp for children from The results of his “making time” show his love for the craft of woodworking. His finished works of furniture are beautiful as well as functional. To complete something that will be cherished and passed on to descendents involves sweat and - if not tears – hard physical labor even if the needed tools are at hand. Each completed step of work must be sanded, shaped, and stained and varnished. But when a task is a labor of love, the hard work becomes easy. For each step in changing lumber into art, the task at hand is a joy to dedicated craftsmen such as Terry. For individuals involved in such intricate craftsmanship, the supplies cost little but hard work. The Ozarks provide a plentiful supply of raw hickory, oak, walnut and cedar. Cutting the trees and then turning them into quality furniture, however, requires a love for the whole process of creating something beautiful that will cherished for following generations.
Past cover stories for The Ozarks Home and Garden:
Grow more earlier (and later) with a hoop house: Use animal corral panels to make construction easy and keep costs down
Pick the generator you know you're going to need
Timber for sale: What you should know before contacting a timber buyer
How to make your own additive-free soap at home in your kitchen
Various factors can keep grapes from ripening
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