William Evans Fine Handmade Furniture

About the Artist

For more than thirty years, serious collectors and other admirers of fine furniture have sought out William Evans to create originals and reproductions for them, and to restore precious antiques. After sampling the corporate life as a young man, Bill turned his passion for cabinetry into a livelihood. He apprenticed for eight years under Dutch master craftsman David Hendriks in Toronto and quickly established his own reputation and clientele. Since returning to the States in the 1980s and settling in Maine, he has continued to perfect his use of traditional techniques and develop his own design ideas. His work is displayed in historic buildings and private homes throughout North America. Bill is known not only for the way he works with wood, but also for the way he works with people. For him, listening carefully is an integral part of making fine furniture. Whether he is building new pieces or restoring damaged heirlooms, Bill starts the construction process by personally hand-selecting the wood. This care extends to every other aspect of creating a William Evans masterpiece as well. Dovetailing drawers together by hand takes time, though its beauty is obvious. Not so obvious is the traditional mortise & tenon joinery Bill uses in the doors and the ?carcass? of a piece. Bill also hand-picks all the brass hardware he uses, again from the finest available. Then there is the finish, another place where he will not compromise on quality. He insists on ?French-polishing,? a centuries-old method of hand-rubbing thin layers of shellac into the wood, and repeating the process many times. Please visit our website, view our gallery, and read the words of our customers. Their testimonials and anecdotes provide more insights into the career and techniques of this master craftsman.