As a child growing up in Chicago, I was fortunate to recognize that every corner presented an opportunity to absorb the beauty around me. Skyscrapers under construction, myriad public-art installations, and the graphic precision of sign painters showing off their skills on the sides of buildings. I got a little too close to commuter and freight trains wanting to reach out and touch them. I needed to know how things were made. School field trips were exciting for me because we visited factories, dairy farms, steel mills, and museums; all of which sparked my curiosity­­.

That early introduction to the world of design created a desire to work with my hands. A desire that grew into the realization that woodworking was in my blood.

High school was routine, and college was a brief chapter in my life.  Shortly after, I worked as a fabricator for the American Bridge Company in Gary, Indiana. Building bridges is all about precision. I was taught the importance of following blueprints and maintaining specific dimensions. Tolerance levels were very low and there was no room for error.

The steel mill was a hot, dirty, and dangerous workplace, and it didn’t take me long to realize that carpentry, my first love since I began whittling on Popsicle sticks at age five, was my true vocation.

Bridges behind me, I hit the road traveling coast to coast developing skills working in home construction, becoming a journeyman carpenter along the way. I built tract homes in Miami, remodels in Fort Lauderdale, and custom homes in the foothills of Oakland, California.

I remember one major project that involved moving a couple of two-story framed apartment buildings two blocks down a busy Oakland street and converting those from 24 one-bedroom units to 12 two-bedroom units. This is memorable because of the complexity and sheer effort that went into completing the work. It was another feather in my cap; another challenge met successfully.

Construction work provided a living, but I always sought outlets for my creative endeavors. One standout commission was creating carvings of 35 famous Ohioans, including Clark Gable, President Harding, Erma Bombeck, and Lucille Ball. The six-inch-square relief carvings were incorporated into the crown molding of a Xenia, Ohio, restaurant that was being remodeled. As part of that remodel, I carved an image of a historic covered bridge that served as a room divider at the restaurant. Those carvings are among the work of which I am most proud.

In the mid-80s, I was hired to convert a motorcycle shop into a gallery/gift store in Springfield, Ohio. This was a fun job because my employer was one of the gallery owners, and he asked me to stay on as manager after I completed the conversion. During this career phase, I was invited to exhibit my wood inlay wall sculptures in a gallery setting for the first time. 

I have spent the last 35 years developing an eye for detail, form, and function.  I apply that vision in design aspects that include mortise-and-tenon, dovetail joinery, inlay, and carved elements.

My approach to design begins and ends with my commitment to never be content with the ordinary. Whether it’s a simple box to hold treasures or a custom-built table melding metal, wood, and stone, my dedication to excellence informs my work.  — James Dennison :: Dennison Designs :: Santa Fe, NM

Mission statement

To assure the highest quality of design with a dedication to excellence.