Townsman, 1991-07, Page 21Turning
wood
into art
Murray Yungblut
has a love
affair with wood
By Bonnie Gropp
The ability to take pieces of
wood, products of natural beauty and
turn them into equally beautiful prod-
ucts of our simulated world, is as
much a form of artistic talent as any
work created by sculptor or painter.
For the woodcrafter, the feeling
achieved from transforming this stark
loveliness into a functional, yet attrac-
tive showpiece is one of intense grati-
fication.
For Murray Yungblut, owner of
Huron Woodcraft, RR4, Ripley, the
genius behind his original designs, has
been built upon a love for the craft
and a natural talent for turning oak,
maple, ash or cherry into anything
from church doors to kitchen cup-
boards, from Boston rockers to chil-
dren's chairs.
Though most of his income
comes from building kitchen cabinets
that is not necessarily his principle
source of enjoyment, he stresses. "I'
do have lots of experience making
kitchen cupboards and that's an area
where it counts monetarily, but basi-
cally my interests run to doing any-
thing that is made from wood. "
Murray says that even as a
youth, woodworking was always his
first love, but it wasn't until later that
he began thinking of turning that love
into a lucrative business. A university
0
a
Murray Yungblut stands next to his Bentwood Rocker, which he says
"test of my talent", as they are quite difficult to make.
graduate with a degree from the facul-
ty of science, Murray said while he
could have pursued work in that field
when he left school, he found it diffi-
cult to find such employment. He
worked one summer for Environment
Canada, but discovered a personal dis-
like for the office atmosphere. He also
spent a brief stint employed in a cabi-
net shop, but harbours a definite pref-
erence for the freedom he has with his
own business. "I dread the thought
now of reining myself in, my creativi-
ty, to work for anyone. I grew up on a
farm so I guess I'm used to that free-
dom. The idea of self-employment is
under my skin."
While being his own boss does
provide Murray with the obvious
advantages, like being able to set his
was a true
own hours and being his own quality
control, it also gives him creative lib-
eration as well. "I don't want to limit
myself to any particular design or
style. I am a commercial business, but
I don't see room for myself in the type
of business where I have to compete
with companies in the United States."
With his 13 years experience,
and having done everything from tra-
ditional to modem pieces, Murray has
another idea about the type of market
he is meeting. "I sec my role as filling
the niches for people who want things
that can't be bought off the floor."
That is one of the nice aspects
of Huron Woodcraft, the freedom it
offers its clients in selecting a piece
that compliments their wants and suits
their needs. An added bonus is the
TOWNSMAN/JULY-AUGUST 1991 19