2020 Demonstrators

Paul Jackman is a graduate of Upper Cape Cod Vocational High School where he studied Woodworking and Carpentry and acquired the foundation of his woodworking knowledge. He started Jackman Works when he graduated in 2009 as a way to continue that journey while he went on to study Civil Engineering at Syracuse University. Jackman Works continued as a side project over the summers during college, working out of the back of his now iconic orange Honda Element.

After college, that developed further into a small workshop in the basement of his Boston apartment and that is where Jackman first picked up a camera and started sharing his work on YouTube and Instagram. That spiralled into the Jackman that we know today. Just a few years later, his wife joined the Coast Guard and they were lucky enough to be stationed in the beautiful state of Rhode Island. With the move, Paul had to quit his day job, but with the woodworking (through video making) being an ever-growing endeavour in the background, he decided to take it for a spin full time. He set up his first official shop in North Kingstown at The Mill at Shady Lea.

Raised in NYC, Geoff was inspired by the urban environment, constant development, and the contrast of progress with the natural world. Finding his voice with steel, Geoff started welding and creating sculptures. After years working as a blacksmith, forging ornamental ironwork, Geoff created the custom knife business Feder Knives specializing in culinary knives. Federknives.com

Jesse Savage is an independent metal artist blacksmith located in the heart of Central Vermont. He uses hammer and anvil to traditionally forge his iron work the old fashion way.  Jesse primarily focuses on hand forging Vermont made axes, hatchets, and fireplace tools.  Being very passionate about Vermont's history, traditions and the land, Jesse uses this inspiration as he works in his Rutland Blacksmith Shop. His work can be found in Vermont Forgings' gallery, Hand Made in Vermont's Gallery in Wallingford, & many other local shops. Jesse is an instructor at Center for Metal Arts in Johnstown, PA.

Cliff Dufton has over 15 years of experience as a welding and fabrication master craftsman. He is currently an Instructor for The Art Students League of New York and also teaches metal workshops at Columbia University. His background in construction and achievements through many years of participation in NYC's Model to Monument (M2M) Public Art program are the crucible in which his successful career as a Maker has been forged.
Cliff graduated at the top of his class from Apex Technical School and is a certified welder. He participated in the 2018 New York Maker Faire with the group “Modern Forge” and won 7 Editor's Choice Awards.

John Erianne is a sculptor, welder, and blacksmith with over a decade of experience. He graduated Union College in Schenectady, New York in 2006 having studied English Literature and Sculpture/Visual Arts. In addition to receiving a MFA from The New York Studio School, he has been on staff as the Sculptural Technician since 2013. Prior to NYSS, he worked at Montclair State University and The Art Students League of New York as well as conducting on-going private and group workshops focused primarily on metalworking techniques. Additionally, John runs a small fabrication business out of his New Jersey workshop, dealing with both artistic and residential commissions as well as developing his own sculpture and tool making. www.sunsetforgenj.com

Matt has been making swords for 20 years. He is the lead blade grinder at Baltimore Knife and Sword. In the summer of 2014 he began hosting the hit web series MAN AT ARMS:REFORGED. Teamed with other talented craftsmen, he brought to life the most requested fantasy arms and armor from your favorite video games, anime, and other pop culture genres. In 2017 he became the host of the TV show MAN AT ARMS : The Art of War starring alongside Danny Trejo to make history's most devastating weapons. In 2018 earned the title Producer for the 2nd season of Art of War and is currently creating his own content on YouTube for the channel “That Works”. You can find at www.youtube.com/thatworks 

Ilya Alekseyev was born in Troitsk, Russia. Since an early age he developed a liking to the art and craftsmanship of bladed weapons. He likes to bring his background in Art History, Asian Studies, and Philosophy into his craft. Ilya is currently working at his own shop producing Tools and instructional videos for the That Works Channel . Among the skills that he brings to the That Works project are his expertise in armor, Damascus steel, bloomery steel, and engraving. His vast studies into the Japanese art of smithing has made him one of the most proficient makers of that style in this country. 

George Vondriska was given a scroll saw when he was 9, and a router and lathe shortly after.  That was the beginning of his love for woodworking and working with his hands.  He turned a baby carriage and lawn mower into a go-cart, disassembled and reassembled (generally successfully) anything he could get his hands on, and built a shop in his mom’s garage before he was in high school.        

                George’s love of making and creating lead to him becoming a Technical Education (shop) teacher.  His first teaching job was at a Shopsmith store, which lead to his career of teaching adults. He opened his own woodworking school in 1998, the same year he became Tools and New Product Editor for American Woodworker Magazine.  In addition to AW George has written for Woodworkers Journal, Fine Woodworking, The Family Handyman and WOOD magazines. He also co-wrote a book: CNC Essentials. Outside of his own school George taught woodworking in Africa for the U.S. Peace Corps and has done training for Andersen Window and the Pentagon.

                As the Managing Editor of the Woodworkers Guild of America George has produced over 120 DVDs and countless YouTube clips.  He continues to run his own woodworking school in Wisconsin, and travels throughout the country to teach.

                When he’s not teaching, writing or shooting a video George is camping, riding his motorcycle, teaching himself to weld, or shooting his bow.

Patrick Laperrière (Pat Lap) is originally from Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada. He has a degree in

communication, graphic design, and he studied humorous writing at the National Comedy

School of Montreal.

His favorite hobby has always been woodworking, a passion taught to him at a very young age

by his grandfather.

More recently, Patrick became the creator behind the Youtube channel "Le PicBois" His channel

is an ever-evolving project through which he can express all of his talents: woodworking, humor,

music, and multimedia production.

Patrick is also an employee of Lee Valley Tools as a Brand and Content Specialist.

Justin Dietrich was born and raised on a small farm in Central Illinois where he learned how to raise animals, build houses and learn to work with his hands.

For 10 years, Justin lead and taught high school students to build a new house or community building in Lincoln that would be sold at the end of every school year.  In 2018, he moved from the position of Building Trades Instructor to the Woodshop Teacher, known as the “Railsplitter Woodshop”.  

Recently, he has combined his love for building structures with the handcrafted art of Timber Framing.  A timeless marriage between building and construction to hand carving and fine woodworking.

To pass this passion along, Justin hosts classes at his own farm with fellow makers such as Tracey Chevrount, Kathina Nellis and Andy Birkey to hopefully inspire others to chase their own passions and pursuits.

Ronders Wood and Metal Works is now going into another year in business and continues to save local trees from the chippers throughout Chicago land.  

Ron spent most of his childhood watching, learning, listening even helping family and Tradesmen around his home. Working with concrete contractors to finish carpenters, Ronders has been apart of all aspects of building, and maintaining homes and businesses. He has fabricated themed buildings and props for commercial clients with a wide range of materials.  

At 24, and after losing nearly 100lbs, Ronders was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and needed to gain his strength back. Turning to his roots he started felling the 17 dead ash trees in the yard. As he cleared the grave yard of an extinct wood species he couldn’t see the trees go into the chipper so he got his welder out and made his first chainsaw mill.  

He always was turning slabs into furniture in his spare time. As folks began to see what he was doing with the saved trees, his art was now in demand. Ron’s first request was a special request for a family to use a dead walnut tree their great grandfather planted in 1897. The family wanted a dining table, Ron created a family treasure. This side hussle started to get more and more booked up, it was the spring of 2018 that he said its time to go full time. Equipped with a log trailer he made, 26” band saw and a 42” Granberg chainsaw mill there isn’t a log he can’t come and get off your property and return to you as a piece of metal and wood art.