Autumn is just around the corner and Stephen Sprague is surprisingly calm. While a shift in seasons might not normally stress a person out, it could if you were gearing up for the 30th annual Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour scheduled to take place September 27 and 28.
But with less than two weeks to go before the show, Sprague appears both at ease and pleasant.
“When you’ve been doing the show for about 10 years you don’t get quite as anxious,” says Sprague reassuringly. “You just do the best you can.”
And that’s exactly what Sprague is doing.
Sprague is a designer and maker of fine furniture, with a studio located on the outskirts of Bracebridge. He has been working with wood for more than 30 years, enjoying both the creative and manual aspects to his job, a far cry from the science degree he earned back in the 1970s. But even as a woodworker, Sprague has incorporated his knowledge of biology and interest in the environment into his designs and creations.
“The other aspect of my life that I try to integrate in my work is a small environmental footprint,” says Sprague. “So what you see here is all material that I’ve found myself. I rarely buy commercially harvested timber. Instead, I look for unusual material or material that otherwise might have just gone to firewood, but was perfectly good to build furniture out of. I try to use primarily native hardwoods. Generally I think there is plenty of great material right in your own backyard. Every tree has some treasure.”
It is these treasures, says Sprague, that make for good furniture. Some of the things that can be found inside his studio include a variety of unique and distinct pieces, such as rocking chairs, desks and home accents, all crafted by hand using natural woods and finishes. Sprague believes it is these qualities that are showcased on the tour.
“It’s really nice to have people come in. I probably see more people in those two days than I do all year,” says Sprague referring to the studio tour. “It’s really encouraging to have them come and to see the work and to give me the kind of feedback they give me, and, of course, hopefully they’ll become customers. But that’s not the reason I do the tour. I’d rather have people come in and see how I work and see my shop space, and try to get an appreciation for custom furniture as opposed to going to Ikea or Leon’s, which have mass-produced industrial furniture.”
So far the tour has been a successful component in accomplishing this goal.
“A funny thing happened during one particular studio tour,” explains Sprague. “I met a fellow who worked at Lakehead University with one of my former professors, who is now the president of Lakehead.” After striking up a conversation with this man, Sprague was able to reconnect with his old professor, who in return ordered three rocking chairs and had them designated as alumni gifts given by the university.
But don’t expect Sprague to retire from woodworking any time soon, even with the amount of success he has had.
“Woodworking is my passion,” says Sprague. “I’ll continue doing it until it’s time to make a pine box for myself.”
