Learning
Roger Ellison is a maker of fine heirloom furniture whose passion for creating in wood began in Sierra Blanca, Texas. Born and raised in that Far West Texas desert town, as a very young boy he began to turn lumber scraps into boats with a hand saw, hammer, chisel, and brace and bit. Formal training began in junior high and continued through high school under the tutelage of two inspirational Sierra Blanca School shop teachers – Clifton Moss and Joe Neel - who focused on fundamentals, emphasized beauty and character of wood, and encouraged creativity. Over the years, self-study and practical application were the most effective tutors, but along the way, formal sessions with Graham Blackburn, Paul Sellers, and Darrell Peart whetted his appetite to learn more.
In 2013, he spent 3 months in a furniture intensive at the internationally recognized Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, Maine. The school’s philosophy is to teach to the highest levels of craftsmanship; the superb instruction, and practical and artistic application, provided one of the great experiences of his life. In 2017 he returned for another month of learning and departed with aspirations of additional study in the future. The direct influence of Aaron Fedarko, Mason McBrien, Austin Matheson, Adrian Ferrazzutti, Brian Reid, Tim Rousseau, Tom Hucker, Seth Rolland, Peter Korn, and Yuri Kobayashi remains inestimable; the opportunity to rub elbows with, chat with, or simply breathe the same air as these and other greats was almost magical.
Roger has a rich reservoir of skills and experiences and a desire to share; he has learned from some of the best. What fun it would be to continue learning with you!
As you will no doubt notice from these pictures of young learners, Roger is willing to help you grow your skills, regardless of your age!
Personalized Mentoring:
Would you like to design and build a project and have Roger mentor you through the process? Ideally this would be done in Roger’s shop.
Customized Instruction:
Do you have an interest in learning a particular skill or set of skills? Let Roger work with you to design a curriculum for learning in his shop.
Volunteering to Work With Roger:
Perhaps you are not yet ready for mentoring or personalized instruction, but would like to volunteer to work alongside Roger in his shop and pick his brain?
