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Hidden Within The Grains Of The Wood The Artistry, Craftsmanship And Passion Of Adam Marsano

photo by Cookie Steponaitis Artist and furniture maker Adam Marsano stands beside a piece of King’s Pine that once stood in the original Vermont canopy in the 1750’s and first served as doors in the Brandon Town Hall. A part of living Vermont history, including even possibly having witnessed Ethan Allen, this reclaimed lumber will again be a vibrant part of a home, business or part of an original piece of furniture.

photo by Cookie Steponaitis Showing some of the many textures, grains and types of wood that his Route Seven Shop, Adam Marsano uses reclaimed lumber to create one of a kind pieces of furniture and works of art.

Tuesday November 27, 2012

By Cookie Steponaitis

   For Vermont artist and furniture maker Adam Marsano, he simply cannot remember a time in his life when creating with wood was not a part of it. “I grew up locally,” shared Adam. “I started with building these crazy tree forts, watching my mom restore Victorian furniture and simply loving the feel of wood in my hands. Today I always have a piece of wood on my bench and I try to make beautiful things by simply putting my whole heart into it. Each piece is one of a kind.”

    What began as a career as a furniture maker both in Vermont and across the nation has grown for Adam and his family into a passion for restoring and incorporating old wood into new pieces that showcase the grains, textures and vibrant history of each piece. “About six or seven years ago, I got into taking down and using materials from old barns, and it simply caught on. Every piece is one of a kind and is really built to last forever. When touring Marsano's Route Seven shop, it is easy to see the reverence Marsano has for each piece of wood he works with. Stopping to explain the mortise and tennon joinery and the various locations of each piece in the barn, Marsano expressed the pride with which the people who constructed the barns showcased not only their own work but those of their neighbors. “Each piece of wood has its story to tell,” he remarked. “Take for example this one piece. It was a floor joist in a 1905 Dyke barn that I recently worked on. It is Hemlock and even had the original wood pegs in it. The detail on the wood is incredible. It will be a part of a table top and I will use the original hardware to bring the details of the past more to life.”  While explaining the process of reclaiming old wood, Marsano acknowledges that is time consuming and labor intensive. “People don't want to put the work into saving it because it is cheaper to build with new,” he remarked, “because you have to take it part, clean it, and often refurbish it.”

    Part artist , craftsman and historian, Marsano is a wonderful source of information about the types of wood and sizes of the pieces who even at a glance can place the age of the wood by looking at the type of saws use to create the planks or beams. Seeing examples of water saw blades, pit saws, and the more modern circular saw, the Reclaimed Lumber Sales on Route Seven contains wood from as early as 1760 and includes Douglas Fir, Pine, Cherry, Spruce and White Oak that comes in every shape and size imaginable. Outside on a crisp Thanksgiving Day weekend friends begin to unload the next load of vintage wood from Marsano's newest barn project. “I am not certain of the number,” remarked Marsano, “but the last time I checked we are losing about 300-400 barns a year in Vermont. Now take into consideration some of them can be the size of sheds and some are monstrous three and four story structures. But all of them, with some labor and some effort can be pieces for modern homes today.”

    It is hard to keep up with Marsano when he is talking about the different textures and grains of the wood he loves, honors in his work and showcases in his shop. “This piece is special,” he remarks showing a piece that came from a 1791 barn. “You understand these pieces of wood represent the original canopy of Vermont. They are trees that were here when the original settlers came. It is almost impossible to find trees of this size anymore and if you find one it certainly is protected.”  Touching a piece of Fiddle Back Maple and White Oak, Marsano patiently explains about the patina on the outside and how the deeper into the grain you go the more white it gets. Commonly called King's Trees, these would have been tagged in the woods and then utilized for use as ships masts and large structures for the king.

    Around each corner of the shop is more wood and Marsano has more stories to share of its origin, use and its possible future in his shop. “I am a very fortunate and grateful man,” expressed Marsano. “Nine out of ten of my customers are local people who have seen my work and come here because they know that each piece is built to last a life time and beyond. My wife Heidi runs the orders and schedules for the business and each day I get to come here and create.”  So whether you are looking for reclaimed lumber for sales, custom furniture or to simply meet and talk wood with Adam Marsano, he can be reached at (802)-881-4552 or by contacting him through the business website at www.smallhousecarpentry.com or by emailing him at [email protected], “My shop is open by appointment and by chance,” commented Marsano. “I am into so many different projects and locations that I do not keep set hours here.”

    Before leaving Marsano had just one more piece this reporter had to see, so passing by 1905 Silver Barn Board, Douglas Fir, and immense pieces of White Oak and Pumpkin Pine a set of doors came into view. “These came from the Brandon Town Hall and are made of King's Pine,” concluded Marsano. “The Reynolds family whom I got these from insists that Ethan Allen himself walked through them. Now if these doors could just talk.”

    Talk they do. Through the artistry, craftsmanship and love of wood, Adam Marsano gives life to reclaimed lumber and places the original canopy of Vermont in the hands of the next generation. No job is too small nor no piece of wood too dirty or damaged to escape the vision of a man who sees in it a story, a warmth, and a history that can shine again. “What you see on the outside of reclaimed lumber and what you get on the inside is two different things,” shared Marsano. The Valley Voice salutes all artists and craftspeople like Adam Marsano who continue to blend talent, passion and a unique appreciation for the past into a way of life honoring both the modern and the historic.

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