James Krenov is an incredible person who has made a difference in the world. He has been a pioneer of woodworking, a teacher, a traveler, and a nobility of his country. Read on to learn more about his life and achievements!
Russian nobility
James Krenov was a well-known cabinetmaker in the twentieth century. He was also an influential woodworker and author. His books have sold hundreds of thousands of copies in English. In addition, the Krenov Foundation has supported several public shows of fine furniture. Founded in 2013, the foundation has also granted substantial scholarships.
In addition to being a cabinetmaker, Krenov was a teacher. He taught at the Rochester Institute of Technology and Boston University. Before retiring, he was a faculty member at the College of the Redwoods in Fort Bragg, California. Several of his books have been translated into other languages.
In the late 20th century, Krenov was known for his work in Scandinavia. During this time, he also became an interpreter for the Russian military. During his time in Seattle, he developed a passion for sailing. Upon his return to Sweden, he opened a shop and taught classes.
He later worked at a ship chandlery. Krenov was a self-described “wood nut” who loved wood. He studied and experimented with different types of woods and how they were shaped. Eventually, he decided to focus on creating his own designs.
Woodworking pioneer
James Krenov was a woodworking pioneer who passed away in Fort Bragg, California on September 9, 2009. The legendary woodworker, educator, author and philosopher died at age 88. He was the founder of the College of the Redwoods’ fine woodworking program and was a prolific writer and woodworking teacher.
Krenov’s woodworking influences include a large number of renowned craftsmen and teachers. His books, especially A Cabinetmaker’s Notebook, have been influential. In addition, he authored several craft books and compiled his own furniture making school.
The first book, A Cabinetmaker’s Notebook, articulated a new way of looking at woodworking. It encouraged a more natural, honest and traditional approach to working with wood. While a large portion of the book is devoted to Krenov’s own methods, it also presents a great deal of historical documentation.
Among his most well-known works are cabinets constructed from pear wood. These are recognized by their long, slim legs and scalloped door panels.
Krenov also wrote several articles and published five books. During his career, he was a popular woodworking instructor and writer. He served as a Russian interpreter during World War II. He is also credited with founding the College of the Redwoods’ fine furniture making program.
Teaching career
Krenov was a woodworker, teacher, and author. He wrote his first book, “A Cabinetmaker’s Notebook,” in 1976. That book was considered a classic in the woodworking community.
He founded the College of the Redwoods Fine Furniture Program in Fort Bragg, California. He retired in 2002.
Krenov was born in a tribal village in Siberia. His parents were Russian nobles and his grandfather was a painter. During the Russian Revolution, his mother left St. Petersburg for Seattle and later worked as an interpreter for the crews of Russian ships in Seattle.
When Krenov was young, his family moved to Seattle and then to Seattle-area Puget Sound. Afterward, they lived in Shanghai, China.
Krenov’s father worked as a lawyer. He also became an art collector. As a teenager, Krenov worked at an electrical appliance factory and a boat yard in Seattle.
When he was a child, Krenov began carving toys. By the age of six, he had graduated to constructing model boats.
Travels
One of the most influential figures in the twentieth century’s studio furniture movement, James Krenov has been a major influence on woodworkers all over the world. His books continue to inspire and motivate woodworkers today. Throughout his life, he has had a passion for building fine furniture and he continues to do so.
Krenov was born in Siberia in 1920. His parents were refugees from the Russian Revolution and he moved to Seattle in the 1930s. He became an interpreter during World War II and worked as a boat builder on Puget Sound. In the 1980s, he founded the Fine Woodworking Program at College of the Redwoods in Fort Bragg, California.
After Krenov left college, he built a workshop in his basement and continued to work with wood. He taught cabinetmaking at Malmsten school in Sweden in 1967, and then went on to lecture around the world. By the end of the 1970s, he had created a new direction in woodworking. During this time, he started a one-of-a-kind program, and people from all over the world came to the College of the Redwoods.