Ray Jones

My formal education was aeronautical engineering. During the summers between my college years I worked in construction, where I began to learn woodworking skills. After college, I moved from my small hometown in Northern California to take an engineering job in Los Angeles. I rented a house, and instead of buying furniture I bought tools and began making my own furniture. I left engineering in 1982, and have been a full-time woodworker since then. I love wood and am fascinated by wooden mechanisms and the intersections of various three-dimensional geometric shapes. I make boxes entirely of wood, including the hinges, fasteners, latches, and drawer slides. Wood is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it gives the lids, doors and drawers a wonderfully smooth action. The tremendous variety of woods that exist in the world intrigues me. I try to use sustainably harvested, plantation-grown, salvaged or otherwise “environmentally friendly” woods whenever possible. The plywoods in my turned boxes are handmade in my shop from select veneers. My boxes are made without stains or dyes and are finished with multiple coats of a mixture of linseed oil, polyurethane, and mineral spirits. This protects the wood and brings out its natural color, texture and wonderful “feel”.