Art of Biddeford presents furniture gallery

Art of Biddeford presents the works of five local Biddeford-based furniture makers and woodworkers at The Foundry from April 7 – May 2.

Caitriona Fiero, Sten Havumaki, Derek Preble, Stefan Rurak and Gabe Sutton will be sharing their professional and artistic crafts with us. While working as furniture makers and woodworkers, it is clear that their work surpasses the basic needs we require of furniture. Coffee tables, love seats, and benches are art in and of themselves.

WOOD / METAL / FABRIC: Biddeford Furniture Makers and Woodworkers will be exhibited at The Foundry, 30 Upper Falls Road, Biddeford, between April 7-May 2 by appointment and weekly-announced hours. There will be an Artist Reception during April’s third Friday between 5-8 p.m. This is a free event and open to the public.

From clean lines to ornamental millwork, and concrete to velvet, these furniture makers and woodworkers show their distinct and varying styles. Despite all being based in Biddeford, ME, each artist’s voice tells a story unique to themselves.

Curated by Julie K. Gray for Art of Biddeford, this exhibition serves as proof that we can experience art daily-not just during a visit to a museum or gallery, but in the design and choices we surround ourselves with in our own homes.

The exhibition space, The Foundry at The Levee, is being provided by Reveler Development. The 22,513 square feet of historic warehouse space was recently redeveloped into a premier riverside destination offering commercial space for retail, dining, and community connection. 

Artist Bios:

• Caitriona Fiero established her own business, Fiero Woodworking, in 2021 after studying at the Center for Fine Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, ME and a career working in fashion in NYC. She takes inspiration from forms and patterns found in nature and values the honesty of the materials she uses, striking a balance between form and function.

• Sten Havumaki grew up playing in his parents' basement workshop, building rifles to take with him on living history reenactments and carving birds to sell at weekend craft shows. Later, he studied at North Bennet Street School's acclaimed furniture program. When he's not working in his Biddeford business, Oak & Laurel Workshop, he sings and plays bluegrass on his guitar, often with his wife Lauren on fiddle and sometimes with the Yale-based band known as The Professors of Bluegrass.

• Self-taught woodworker, Derek Preble, has over 30 years experience honing his craft. He is deeply compelled to contribute to the design world in a responsible way—creating timeless, long-lasting products that use reclaimed barn materials, project off-cuts, and minimize waste. You’ll find Derek’s workbench full of odd, old trinkets and scavenged hardware that frequently find their way into his artfully assembled furniture pieces.

• Stefan Rurak is a Maine and Brooklyn-based atelier that merges modern conceptual design with time-honored craftsmanship. The results are evocative, one-of-a-kind furniture that are built to span generations. Working with a variety of materials, the Studio specializes in bespoke furniture design and fabrication. Stefan Rurak Studio crafts furniture that transcends utilitarian ends and becomes art.

• Though self-taught, Gabe Sutton comes from a long line of craftsmen. His passion is to create unique furniture that lasts for generations, and embodies how we live and who we are. His early work and some of his current inspiration comes from the clean lines and elegant proportions of antique Danish furniture and the simple beauty of Japanese architecture. As of late, he finds inspiration in some of his early drawings, observed patterns, and historic local architecture.