David Flynn

David Flynn is an architect by trade with over 20 years of woodworking ex- perience, and since 2019, his furniture has evolved into a distinctive art form under the concept of *Smoked Grain*. His work focuses on creating unique, handcrafted pieces that blur the lines between functional furniture and sculptural art. Each piece is crafted from solid Douglas Fir or solid cedar—local construc- tion-grade woods—that are milled, shaped, and transformed into one-of-a- kind works.

These materials, often overlooked in traditional furniture-making, are used to highlight the natural idiosyncrasies and character of the wood itself. By eschewing mechanical fasteners, Flynn embraces a design philoso- phy rooted in simplicity and the inherent beauty of the materials, emphasiz- ing craft over convention. A signature technique in his work is the application of Yakasugi, a traditional Japanese method where the wood is carefully charred before a protective barnnish is applied.

This not only enhances the natural grain but also imbues the pieces with a deep, rich texture and a striking contrast of light and dark. This approach celebrates the imperfections and eccentricities of the wood, encouraging a shift away from the pursuit of uniformity seen in much of tra- ditional furniture design. Instead of striving for consistency, his work embrac- es and elevates the unpredictability of the material, making each piece an expression of nature’s raw beauty and the artisan’s vision.