about

Hey, I’m Dalton. I was born and raised in the rural southern US surrounded by forests and farmlands. My parents were always the type of people to prefer fixing something themselves when they could, and I spent many afternoons with my father in his workshop (which was larger than our actual house).

After getting a few college degrees I moved to the windy city of Chicago for a stereotypical corporate job and assumed that from then on, the extent of working with my hands would be limited to spreadsheets. I started taking night classes at a local woodworking collective to “scratch the itch” of doing something more creative and tangible, but figured it would only ever amount to a hobby at most.

Then, in the spring of 2025, my job, like many others, was eliminated under the pretense of shifting work to artificial intelligence. I began a search for a new position, but nothing held my interest for more than a fleeting moment until I started looking into full-time woodworking / fine furniture design programs. It became impossible to imagine myself sitting at a desk again, typing away as a just another cog in the corporate wheel.

So that’s where I find myself now. I’m currently enrolled in the year-long Designer-Maker program at the Waters & Acland Fine Furniture School in the UK. Not only am I learning the technical skills of the trade, I’m discovering my own design philosophy and ultimately fostering a desire to create. Thanks for following along with me on this journey.