California has a long tradition of craftsmanship, especially in the areas of architectural and interior design. In San Francisco, a handful of talented woodworkers are making their mark on the art and design world with their original approaches to their craft. 7×7 recently featured a few Bay Area artisans known for their proficiency in the trade and quality of their handmade goods. Here are some highlights:
Alexandra Zee
“Notable for her signature chevron-print wall pieces, Zee, who launched her studio in 2011, works with wood as a painter would with colors upon a canvas. Her delicate and yet powerful craft has captured the attention of clients who hang her pieces in places you’ll no doubt recognize, including Kimpton’s Buchanan Hotel, the Joshua Tree House, and the new Mission women’s club, The Assembly. In 2017, Zee was forced to leave her San Francisco studio, which she shared with fellow woodworker and mentor Katie Gong, due to affordability.” aleksandrazee.com, instagram.com/aleksandrazee
Katie Gong
“Among the Bay Area’s most established woodworking mavens, Katie Gong—known for her fluid knotty sculptures, interior design for businesses including Birba and Anchor Public Taps, and simple furnishings—has worked in San Francisco, the East Bay, and back again.
In SF, she became studiomate and mentor to Aleksandra Zee before the two moved to Oakland to share a warehouse space in 2016. But the following year, she returned to the city, opening a solo studio at a creative co-op building in the Tenderloin. Her signature look is modern-rustic with the suggestion of sexy elegance. Look for her work on the walls of Upper Market bar Blackbird, in a new exhibit called Tied, starting April 21st.”
Adam Vorrath
“In 2015, woodworker Adam Vorrath teamed up with his college mate Greg Laird to open Vorrath Woodworks. Together, the buddies craft custom cabinetry, doors, tables, and built-ins—all defined by a clean, refined style with Art Deco and midcentury influences—for private clients.”
Read more about the players in the woodworking renaissance here.
