Every project begins with a face mark.

Well, once a tree has been sawn into boards, and those boards have been selected for use—the face mark is a symbol of the first careful, precise act of craftsmanship; it's the symbol of when we begin working with the wood. In use, the mark simply identifies a board's face that has been made perfectly flat. Whether done by a quick pass on the jointer or a steadfast chore with a hand plane, this simple operation creates a foundation for the entire project. Then you mark it with a little swoop of your pencil.

It's humbling to be working at a craft that has been around for centuries. There's no room for ego when you think about the many generations of masterful woodworkers that came before you. And sure, we now have big expensive machines to do this or that, but in many ways the principles of furniture making have stood relatively unchanged. Wood is what it always has been, and it doesn't care about what tools you have in your shop. No matter how high-tech our processes become, simple traditional cabinetmaker's marks like the face mark, though varied in their exact appearances and applications, are still essential. The unassuming face mark is a great example of the collective living legacy of woodworking that I find so incredibly compelling. 

I have a tremendous amount of respect for my woodworking elders, which is why "Elders" was a fitting moniker for my work when I began—it represented why I was drawn to woodworking in the first place, and signified a benchmark of quality to work towards. But, as I grow as a designer and craftsman, I feel it's time to begin a new chapter—one dedicated to the pursuit of finding my own voice and building on my own experiences to create new work that is truly mine, and where that benchmark of quality is the only acceptable standard.

So where to begin? Without abandoning the inspiration behind Elders, I've found a new title that shares the sentiment, but will be defined by the work, not the other way around. Like a well made piece of furniture, my name is an heirloom, and I am excited and proud to move forward producing work bearing that name. This is how Fredderick Design Co. was born. As for some sort of maker's designation to accompany that name in this new chapter of mine... Well, let's start at the first step, at the very beginning—with a face mark.

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