Wood is the constant among woodworkers. It doesn't matter if you build contemporary furniture that borders on sculpture or exacting period reproductions - at both extremes and everywhere in between there is great pleasure and great impact to be gained from working with wonderful wood. In my case, having grown up the son of a period furniture maker and having run my own period shop for 20 years, furniture has always meant reproductions. But it was a book by James Krenov, given to me by my wife soon after I started out, that opened my eyes to the paramount importance of the wood. I've come to think of wood as the star of a piece of furniture - I think its natural beauty should be showcased, unadulterated by heavy stains and homogenizing glazes.