“Since he can remember, Tim Wells has been dreaming of projects to work on. If he wasn’t working on cars, he was finding a new way to push his natural talents as a furniture maker and designer.
Born in England, by age 16 Tim had committed to a five-year indentured apprenticeship with master furniture maker, designer and teacher John Makepeace. During his training, Tim built many one-of-a-kind furniture pieces. Examples can be seen in museums in Britain, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Upon finishing his commitment to Mr. Makepeace, Tim continued to develop his skills and reputation as an outstanding craftsman by working with several of the Royal College of Art’s leading furniture designers.
Tim decided to move to the Finger Lakes Region in 1985 when he was offered a position at Wendell Castle’s furniture making studio in Scottsville, NY. After a transition period, he was asked to be the founding director of the short lived Genoa Furniture School in Genoa, NY. The Genoa School attracted a number of talented young furniture makers to the Ithaca area, many of whom have worked with Tim in his Freeville workshop.
From 1990-1995 they worked together to build furniture pieces for designers represented by the prestigious Peter Joseph Gallery in Manhattan. After the Peter Joseph Gallery closed, Tim continued his work doing business as The Bench Works. Currently, he and several other furniture makers build pieces for private clients, architects, designers and corporations such as Steuben Glass and Steinway and Sons.
Tim is always working to build and show his own furniture designs. He is also one of the owners of Salt of the Earth, a contemporary variety store, on Watkins Glen’s Franklin Street. Several examples of his work can be seen there. Tim Wells can be reached at The Bench Works: 607-844-4095 or Salt of the Earth: 607-535-5000.
