M. Jury Woodworks



M. Jury Woodworks

About The Artist

Michael Jury • Springfield, VA
Furniture • CUSTOM COMMISSIONS

I design and build hardwood furniture and decorative woodwork inspired by Shaker, Japanese and Danish design. My work is elegant in its graceful proportions, heirloom construction and subtle ornamentation. I use only solid domestic lumber in my pieces and highlight the natural colors of the wood in my finishes. All joinery is fit by hand as are the countless individual pieces which create the traditional Japanese kumiko patterns I employ in furniture and lighting.



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Q&A with the Artist

Tell us how your work is made.

Each piece is built one at a time and starts with carefully hand-selecting the finest domestic hardwood lumber for the most beautiful color and matching grain. Mortise and tenon joints and dovetails are the structural elements that hold it all together. The joints are fit by hand for the utmost precision and beauty. When appropriate, the joinery is left exposed as a subtle ornamentation and evidence of honest construction.


What makes you passionate about the medium you work with?

I work exclusively with hardwood lumber which grows within a few hours drive from my shop outside of Washington, D.C. The forests of the Eastern US yield lumber with a beautiful range of color and grain. I honor the trees and forests by creating items using the natural color of the wood and heirloom construction methods to ensure the furniture will be enjoyed and in use longer than the trees were alive.

What is something unique about you or your practice?

My furniture is inspired by Shaker, Japanese and Danish designs which have a common theme of clean lines, minimal ornamentation and a reverence for the natural materials used to create the work. I often include kumiko in my furniture which is a traditional Japanese craft composed of countless pieces of wood hand-cut to create beautiful geometric patterns.