The Rowden Way(s)
When I decided to train as a cabinetmaker at Rowden, I was sure that the way I’d be taught would be the way David Savage has taught for many years. It would be a finely honed set of methodologies that have been perfected over decades of designing and making fine furniture.
With so much going on, David had wisely employed an extraordinary cabinet maker in Daren Millman, and between them they created a syllabus that crams a simply extraordinary amount of training into twelve months.
What I didn’t expect were the additional benefits that such a wealth of experience would offer. The standard and quality of the student output has always stood out at Rowden but that doesn’t necessarily mean we always agree on the process of how to get there… or that in fact there may be several ways to get the best results. There are many ways to skin a cat!
Since I was there David has also employed Ed Wild and Jon Greenwood to train the students, so between the teaching staff, they have getting on for 70 or 80 years of experience! This means that even though, as a team, they still completely agree on the standard expected, there are even more ways to get there.
It isn’t always obvious to a student that four teachers may come up with four solutions to a problem (wouldn’t it be easier if there was just one way!) Experience has shown us, however, that the broader your range of skills and the broader your knowledge, the better your chance of coming up with the best solution to the many different and varied situations we find ourselves in as cabinetmakers.
Until next time,
Lakshmi