Custom Woodwork Design

 I am a woodwork artist. I have been making my living as a cabinetmaker since 1980 (Lawton's Cabinet Shop) and have been doing art in various forms my whole life. I believe I am the only woman cabinetmaker in Chatham County with my own business since 1983.  I have met and loved working with  many women woodworkers.  I've shared special bonds with all the supportive men that I've met through my profession.  For years (1983-1996) I created cabinets in all Naus Haus homes (with James Carnahan of Matrix Designs 1983-1986), and then worked as the Sundog Builders cabinetmaker (from 1996). I've also worked many private homes and business in and around Chatham County. You can see some of my work at The Plant, New Horizon Downtown, and Artwork around the town of Pittsboro. You can also read more details in my About Me- The Deeper Dive section on this website.

My right hand was compromised after Spine surgery in 2005. In the fall of 2007 I enrolled in a painting class at the ArtCenter. I always loved drawing and hoped that painting would  help me find control using my right brain.  Still working with wood, I began to see ways to “draw” with wood and use all the beautiful small wood scraps that I collected through years of cabinetmaking. The last 19 years I have gradually slowed down the amount of cabinetmaking I am doing and switched into artistic creations and "wood drawing". 

In 2011 I moved my work to The Hanger and I shared creation space at FatCat Art Studio  with Janice Rieves, an artist of  mosaic glass, metal, and paper.  In March 2015 I joined the Chatham Artists Guild and began focusing more on Art. Needing a more climate controlled space, In the winter of 2021, I decided to build a shop at my home. I moved my work there in the summer of 2022. 

I love the combination of cabinet work and artistic creations. They both use different skills and tools, and everyday I'm learning or re-learning something new. Most days I'm just  a "mad scientist" in a wood shop, seeing what new ideas I can bring into form.

I'm a serious introvert, but I love contributing in a positive way to my communty.

So, over the years I've  been involved in a number of community projects. 

I've painted and repaired over 5 dozen signs for Shakori Hills,  https://www.shakorihillsgrassroots.org/info

I use to cut out "Critters" with Clyde Jones.  Now I arrange for them for the Clydefest Critter painting tent, thanks to generous donations of The Hardwood Store of Gibsonville and Red Wolf Designs (CNC).  Clydefest, Chatham Arts Council, https://www.chathamartscouncil.org/clydefest-2024/

Being a "Bynumite", (I lived there in 1980 and from 2006-2018) I worked for 5 years with Debbie Tunnell and many helping hands to secure Historic Designation for Bynum Bridge. You can read about that through the Chatham County Historical archives. https://chathamhistory.org/resources/Documents/PDFs/ResearchArticles/BynumBridgeAwardedHistoricDesignation.pdf

In 2007, I became the co-facilitator of The Pittsboro Haw River Mural Project. You can read that story here: www.pittsborohawrivermural.info.  Since  it's been 15 years now, Stacye Leanza and I are brainstorming ways to refurb the mural, brighten it up, and get another sealer coat on it. So keep your eyes open- another project may be on the way. We'd also love to get a bench put in front of the mural, so we are talking to local artists trying to find the best way to move forward.

I love our community!

Questions or comments?   

You can also inquire about commissions. 

What's on your idea pallet?