Brad Smith

Brad Smith was born in 1954 and raised on a farm in Worcester, Pennsylvania. As a farm boy he was always fixing and building things around the farm. This led to an interest in woodworking which he developed in high school. For four years after graduation, he worked in several different woodworking shops in the area. Although he learned the basics of woodworking and developed a strong work ethic, Brad felt a more formal education would be helpful. In 1976 he attended the Rochester Institute of Technology's School for American Craftsmen and graduated with a BFA in woodworking and furniture design in 1980. Later that year, he started Bradford Woodworking with his wife Sandy, who also graduated from R.I.T. The business began with a line of kitchen tools and accessories which Brad and Sandy designed, crafted and marketed themselves. In 1986, Brad expanded the business by developing a line of distinctive furniture. The first piece in the line was the Ax Handle Stool&trade, which continues to be the workhorse of the line.

Artist's Statement
I am often asked to describe what style of furniture I make to someone who has never seen my work. My favorite tongue-in-cheek response is "resticated, post-agricultural contemporary country." While this description is cumbersome, it is also fairly accurate. My basic concept is to use "off the shelf" parts in ways that were never intended -- as elements in the furniture. Because the shop is located on a farm, I decided to develop that as a "theme," which is why the parts are farm related. The idea is to make something special out of something ordinary. Ax handles seemed to be the perfect stool leg with their gently S-curve and knobby foot. Pitchforks make ideal supports for chair backs and they even have some spring when you lean back. Disc blades, used on farm equipment, are equally good as bases for my coattrees, lamps, and music stands. These "parts" and my focus on good proportions, honest construction and old-fashioned usefulness have become significant elements in my design vocabulary and give the furniture its distinctive Bradford look.

Worcester, PA

 printable version