About the Artist

Making a living doing what you love and sharing that love with others is a dream for most. Cheryl Evans has turned it into a reality.

A career-banker-turned-artisan, Cheryl happily makes her living harvesting young alder and willow from the creek banks near her 185-year old farmhouse in Western Quebec. In addition to teaching others how to create twig chairs and garden ornaments, she continues to push the boundaries of her own art form building creative, graceful furnishings that express a natural rustic elegance.

Her Work

Crafting furniture from willow is an ancient art that began in China. It enjoyed a revival born of necessity in North America during the Depression when people were looking for building materials that were cheap and easily accessible. More recently, our yearning for a connection to nature and a sense of tranquillity has led to a resurgence of interest in rustic furniture, putting twig furnishings on the covers of popular design magazines.

Cheryl often combines various species of wood in her designs. When making a chair, for example, she says, "Alder makes a sturdier framework and when it dries and seasons it has a rich colour like red cherry wood. Whereas willow is supple and good for the backs and arms."

She doesn't have to go far to harvest the willow, alder and birch she needs. "Willow and alder are shrub-like trees that grow in swampy areas around here. They're very fast-growing and farmers consider them little more than weeds."

Once the saplings are cut and bundled, Cheryl works her magic, twisting and shaping branches into chairs, tables, lamps, garden ornaments and other works of rustic design.

Traditional mortise and tenon joinery, used in the production of fine furniture, ensure the structural strength of her furnishings. For comfort and style, she incorporates elements of Shaker design and construction into many of her designs. For example, she complements the simple rustic lines of her chairs and benches with woven seagrass or cotton tape seats. Finally, most pieces are given a hand-rubbed tung oil finish to protect the wood as well as to bring out its colour and texture.

It's natural to think of placing rustic furniture in your garden where it blends in and becomes a part of the landscape. But, bringing it indoors can be a great addition to your home, adding warmth and harmony to any setting. In fact, the work Cheryl features on StudioCrafts is designed exclusively for indoor use.

See Care and Cleaning for more details.