Day five is all about our incredible boss lady woodworker, Angela Robins!
Photograph by Sarah Reller of Boreal Life Photography
Angela has had an impressive journey finding her way to a love of craft and woodworking.
Born in a rural fishing village in northeastern Japan to American parents teaching abroad, she has an incredible life story and it obviously has had a big impact on the woman she is today and the beautiful work she creates. A boat builder, woodworker and educator, Angela is inspired by the curved forms and distinct, strong lines of both Japanese and Scandinavian design and wooden crafts.
Photograph by Sarah Reller of Boreal Life Photography
She listened to her students and quit her job.
Photograph by Sarah Reller of Boreal Life Photography
From there, Angela started networking with people who taught woodworking. Eventually she met Douglas Brooks, an insanely talented wooden boat builder. His work focuses on the appreciation and continued use of traditional wooden boats, and the preservation and sharing of the skills and knowledge needed to build wooden boats.
He also has a thing for Japanese boats.
Bingo.
They Clicked.
It was Brooks who first told Angela about The North House Folk School. She applied for an internship in 2013, interviewed via phone inside a storage unit in Japan, and unsurprisingly was offered the position.
Photographs by Sarah Reller of Boreal Life Photography
There is OH so much more to Angela's story, and I hope to some day dive deeper with you all and post a much longer interview here on the blog. For now, I hope you have enjoyed this glimpse into the life of one of our most talented and inspiring artists here at The Big Lake.