My Story
Very simply, growing up my dad loved woodworking...so I loved woodworking. My dad taught me how to do
just about everything with wood. I can remember using some of the scrap pieces of wood to make myself a
mini R2-D2 (Star Wars). My dad then helped me take apart a bunch of Hotwheels cars, pull the wheels off
and put them on R2 so I could roll him around. I was always my dads helper, sanding mostly, but eventually I
was using his radial arm saw, square and other tools to make my own projects.
Junior high school was where the addiction started. As per the unspoken male code, a teenage boy was to
either take autoshop or woodshop. Since I had a pretty advanced knowledge of woodworking already, I
decided for the easy "A" and go for woodshop! I made the usual stuff like a cutting board (which my parents
still use!), a notepad, small boxes and so on. But the crowning jewel was a candlestick for my mom for
Mothers Day. I got an "F" on that project! I guess it's considered a failure when the piece breaks in two! Oh
well, candy for Mom's Day again. But, I was fascinated by the ability to make something round. All of the
woodworking I had done so far was square, but now all the sudden I could take a piece of wood and make
any curve I wanted. It was totally amazing and I was hooked.
After graduating from High School I finally achieved one of my life goals and followed in my fathers footsteps
into the family business (www.wadedynamics.net). I bought a condo with a basement and built my own lathe
at our family shop. It was pretty simple, but I was able to turn my first small bowl. Soon after that I began
really practicing to build up some skill.
I got married to my high school sweetheart Beth, who would later start her own company Beth Wade Design
(www.bethwadedesign.com). Beth was and is very inspirational to me, and really helps me tune into my
creative side. She says to me "...Just let the wood speak to you as your turning it..." and sure enough, it
does. Well, it doesn't actually say anything, but each piece gives you some amount of inspiration.
Sometimes you can see the grain has a little curve to it, so you just follow that. Other times, when I buy the
wood or take down a tree in our yard, the color or texture of the bark just sparks a shape in my head and a
few hours later a bowl emerges. The entire process is so much fun.
The inspiration for my little company comes from my kids, Smiley and Peanut, two of the best greyhounds on
the planet! Smiley is my serious goofball. He takes the most regal photos, then will go outside, grab a ball
and run around like a crazy wild beast! He loves being with us, loves coming into work with Beth and I
everyday, and will do anything to please us (really just Beth). He is the cleanest pooch, we say he can hover
over the mud in the backyard! Peanut on the other hand is a tomboy. She is my heart dog. She is beautiful,
always dirty, goofy, graceful, intense, stoic, cuddly, a loner, a watchdog and a fierce playmate. She can melt
your heart with any one of her one hundred looks, and will amaze you with her high speed flybys.
So I thought, why not take the things I love, mash them together, and see what "turns" out!
just about everything with wood. I can remember using some of the scrap pieces of wood to make myself a
mini R2-D2 (Star Wars). My dad then helped me take apart a bunch of Hotwheels cars, pull the wheels off
and put them on R2 so I could roll him around. I was always my dads helper, sanding mostly, but eventually I
was using his radial arm saw, square and other tools to make my own projects.
Junior high school was where the addiction started. As per the unspoken male code, a teenage boy was to
either take autoshop or woodshop. Since I had a pretty advanced knowledge of woodworking already, I
decided for the easy "A" and go for woodshop! I made the usual stuff like a cutting board (which my parents
still use!), a notepad, small boxes and so on. But the crowning jewel was a candlestick for my mom for
Mothers Day. I got an "F" on that project! I guess it's considered a failure when the piece breaks in two! Oh
well, candy for Mom's Day again. But, I was fascinated by the ability to make something round. All of the
woodworking I had done so far was square, but now all the sudden I could take a piece of wood and make
any curve I wanted. It was totally amazing and I was hooked.
After graduating from High School I finally achieved one of my life goals and followed in my fathers footsteps
into the family business (www.wadedynamics.net). I bought a condo with a basement and built my own lathe
at our family shop. It was pretty simple, but I was able to turn my first small bowl. Soon after that I began
really practicing to build up some skill.
I got married to my high school sweetheart Beth, who would later start her own company Beth Wade Design
(www.bethwadedesign.com). Beth was and is very inspirational to me, and really helps me tune into my
creative side. She says to me "...Just let the wood speak to you as your turning it..." and sure enough, it
does. Well, it doesn't actually say anything, but each piece gives you some amount of inspiration.
Sometimes you can see the grain has a little curve to it, so you just follow that. Other times, when I buy the
wood or take down a tree in our yard, the color or texture of the bark just sparks a shape in my head and a
few hours later a bowl emerges. The entire process is so much fun.
The inspiration for my little company comes from my kids, Smiley and Peanut, two of the best greyhounds on
the planet! Smiley is my serious goofball. He takes the most regal photos, then will go outside, grab a ball
and run around like a crazy wild beast! He loves being with us, loves coming into work with Beth and I
everyday, and will do anything to please us (really just Beth). He is the cleanest pooch, we say he can hover
over the mud in the backyard! Peanut on the other hand is a tomboy. She is my heart dog. She is beautiful,
always dirty, goofy, graceful, intense, stoic, cuddly, a loner, a watchdog and a fierce playmate. She can melt
your heart with any one of her one hundred looks, and will amaze you with her high speed flybys.
So I thought, why not take the things I love, mash them together, and see what "turns" out!
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| Pete Wade The Barking Tree 440.285.8494 pete@thebarkingtree.com |
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