A Master Furniture Maker Takes Us Through His Woodworking Journey

As the master furniture builder of Pennenga Creative in Sarasota’s Lime Arts Building, Gregory Pennenga is known for his custom pieces. Here, he takes us through his woodworking journey.

How It Started

My dad was a woodworker. The greatest thing he taught me was cause-and-effect thinking: If this piece goes here, that part can go there. With that mindset, I was always making and remaking things, and furniture became an inevitable pathway. I officially started in 2011 working for Dale Reiki, but I’ve been making sawdust since I was a kid.

Creative Process

The starting point for every piece is to understand the space it will live in and what its intended function will be. I then endeavor to build something that meets those requirements yet hasn’t been seen before. I do this for my own artistic fulfillment as much as I do for my clients’ needs.

Proud Moment

I recently built a figured cherry makeup vanity, which was by far my most challenging and, ultimately, most rewarding piece of work. I began by laminating thin strips of cherry together and gluing them in forms that matched the irregular shape of the wall. To make the templates, I had to build a replica of the client’s space in my shop. I then sculpted the vanity to reflect the home’s architecture. The piece was delivered nearly 18 months after the initial commission.