Andrew Vallee
Andrew Vallee earned a degree in Art from Western Washington University in 1996. After graduation he apprenticed with furniture artisan Alan Rosen. In addition to furniture making Vallee creates mixed-medium art works, drawings, and sculpture. In 1999 he joined his long time friend Wesley Smith as a partner in W. A. Smith Woodworks

Wesley Smith
Wesley Smith earned a degree in Economics from Western Washington University in 1995, and pursued a career in furniture making. He apprenticed with well-known furniture-artisan Alan Rosen, then started W. A. Smith Woodworks in 1998.

The Artists Statement
There are many reasons why we are pursuing this project. We have a desire and passion to see the transformation of one tree from a living organism within the forest ecosystem into lumber and then to a body of furniture and sculpture. We have documented this process from start to finish so that others could watch the transformation take place. The tree we selected was certified sustainably harvested. We hope to raise awareness about the economics of sustainable forestry. We want to show there is an economically viable alternative to clearcutting forests. We are striving to bring issues of forestry to a human level by focusing on the life and transformation of one tree.