About four hours from Santa Fe and Albuquerque, sits the small Texas Panhandle town of Wildorado. There’s not much there; a gas station, a few small businesses, and a hand-full of people that call it their home. To the east, twenty miles or so, Amarillo stands out in the high plains and boasts the “Coolest nights in Texas.”

Normally you wouldn’t even notice Wildorado unless you were running low on gas. And even that is rare because you probably filled up in Amarillo if you are heading west, or Tucumcari if you are headed east.  But, there is something there, or should I say someone: Jimmy Sherwood, (owner of Cedar Classics) a southwest cedar furniture builder that would fit right into Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, Sedona, or any of the other places you would shop for unique, hand-crafted southwestern furniture. Difference is, Sherwood’s furniture, though just as artistic, just as unique, just as beautiful, is half the price you would pay in those other areas.

I had the chance to visit with Jimmy Sherwood at his shop recently, and we had a great talk about his work, how he feels about it, what drives him and why he should be your first stop if you are looking for cedar or juniper hand-crafted furniture. I walked away knowing that when next I am in the market for this wonderful style of furniture, Sherwood’s place, Cedar Classics, will be where I point my mouse.

Sherwood began working with the art form when he tired of traveling with his previous line of work. Wanting to spend more time with his family, he answered an ad in the Amarillo paper for an apprentice in wood-working. After seven years learning the art of natural furniture building, the previous owner decided to move on and asked Sherwood if he wanted to take over. Sherwood jumped right on the chance, having fallen in love with the work during that seven years, and bought the previous owner out, lock, stock and barrel. And, he has never regretted it.

While visiting with Sherwood, I became even more fascinated with the work he does, and the way in which he approaches it. All of the cedar and juniper he works with is hand selected, by him, from mills throughout the southwest. Even the hardware such as drawer pulls, hinges, etc., in many cases is hand-forged by metal artists specifically for these projects; projects that are given his full focus.

There is not a large showroom, though he does have a few items in his showroom, he prefers to build furniture based on what his customers want, and will work on a piece until finished before starting another project. Everything from dining tables, beds, dressers, bedside tables, pool tables and complete dining and bedroom sets are concentrated on and given his full attention and skills until completed. He told me of a recent project for a customer that was a complete game room: card tables, pool table, bar and more.

I asked him about the process itself, kind of a “start-to-finish” scenario, and he filled me in. First, he goes to the mills and hand selects wood that will work best for his projects. Then the wood has to be dealt with; stripped of bark, and seasoned to the point that the beauty of the wood is at its aesthetic peak, then he selects the right piece for each project. He told me about a juniper bed he built and has in his showroom, After getting the wood there and ready, he laid it in the floor of his shop and sat there staring at it for over a week before it finally came together in his mind, then he started the project. The bed is one of the most unique pieces of furniture I have ever seen, and absolutely beautiful.

After selecting the pieces of wood for a project, the work and fun begins. The sanding, much of it by hand, starts the process. Then come the precise cuts, lathes, etc., based on what he sees through his artistic eyes. The fitting, shaping, and watching never stops as it all comes together beneath his skilled hands. This is not an over night process either, and it is not accomplished with cookie-cutter jigs or a room full of employees

each doing a separate piece of the puzzle. Each piece is original, and built with sincere pride and craftsmanship from start to finish by the artist himself. A lot of time and love goes into each project; he told me it takes him about twelve weeks to do one of his beautiful pool tables.
 

Jimmy enjoys his work, and enjoys talking with people about their needs and this shows through in every piece he creates. If you are in the market for southwest-styled furniture, you owe it to yourself, and your pocketbook to visit with Sherwood first before committing to buying elsewhere. Between his location and his love for his work, you will not find a better place or person to work with on your next purchase of this style of furnishings.

You will find the same quality of craftsmanship as found in Santa Fe or similar areas, and will save yourself a bundle without compromising beauty or artistic creation. But the very best benefit of all, is knowing that your furniture was made with heart, especially for you.

Visit Jimmy Sherwood’s site, www.cedarclassics.com for more information, then give him a call or send an email.