Alan Peters
2009 has seen the passing of two very well known and admired woodworking icons, Sam Maloof and Jim Krenov. But we also lost another fine craftsman in Alan Peters who…
2009 has seen the passing of two very well known and admired woodworking icons, Sam Maloof and Jim Krenov. But we also lost another fine craftsman in Alan Peters who died on October 11th.
There will be many, I'm sure, who are already asking, "who was Alan Peters? Not surprising since Peters was British and not nearly as well known in America as Krenov and Maloof. Also, Peters worked in a much more traditional vein even though he was heavily influenced by Japanese woodworking and was primarily considered an "Arts and Crafts" stylist.
Peters' identification with Arts and Crafts design is a direct result of his association with and apprenticeship under Edward Barnsley. Barnsley was deeply immersed in the Arts and Crafts movement (he was to Britain what Stickley was to America) but his work always displayed a much greater level of detail than was typical of the Arts and Crafts period. Peters, likewise, was a master of fine inlay work and drawers that were so precisely fitted that, they would "slide on a cushion of air and when pulled out, would cause the other drawers to retract slightly" into the almost airtight case.
Peters was in the forefront of the woodworking and craft furniture revival of the late 70's and early 80's. He had several write-ups in, and a few contributions to Fine Woodworking magazine during that time, which brought his work to the attention of American artisans. But, while he has held the same status in the British woodworking world as Krenov and Maloof held here, he never really gained the reverence of American woodworkers in the way that Krenov and Maloof did. Nevertheless, his passing deprives the world of another of its finest contemporary designer/makers.
www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2009/oct/28/alan-peters-obituary
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article6887811.ece
D.D.

David DeCristoforo possesses an extensive resume as designer/maker of fine furniture, high-end cabinetry and architectural woodwork. His experience in professional woodworking spans a period of 35 years. For the past 20 years David DeCristoforo Design has been located in Woodland, California. During this time David's shop has ranged in scope from a "full on" cabinet production shop with as many as 15 employees to a small fine furniture and custom millwork shop, working with his son, David RBJ, a highly skilled maker in his own right.