meet the instructors

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Gary is a dedicated educator in higher education with over 15 years of experience. Beyond academia, he is a passionate maker, specializing in fine woodworking, model building, prototype fabrication, and hobby machinist. While his primary focus is woodworking, Gary is also knowledgeable about various materials and manufacturing processes. This diverse skill set enables him to tackle general home renovation projects effectively. His hobbies often revolve around creating tabletop goods, figurines, and wooden toys, reflecting his commitment to craftsmanship and continuous learning.

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Maggie is a designer with experience in woodworking and upholstery. As they learn new skills, they love getting to share them with others through teaching. Maggie is excited to continue working with students to spark excitement in new ways and to empower them to feel comfortable as makers.

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Emma is a sculptor, furniture maker, and woodcarver with a deep passion for craftsmanship and material exploration. She studied woodworking at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine and earned an MFA in Sculpture from the University of Texas at Austin. With experience spanning fine furniture making, sculpture, and hand carving, Emma brings a unique blend of traditional woodworking techniques and contemporary design to her practice.

Emma previously worked as a furniture maker for Yucca Stuff in Austin, where she honed her fabrication skills. Now based in Chicago, she is developing Modern Witch Home, a collection of intricately carved home accessories and furniture that merges function with a sense of magic. Her work emphasizes precision, material sensitivity, and the tactile nature of wood, and she enjoys sharing these values with students of all skill levels.

As an instructor, Emma is dedicated to fostering a supportive and inspiring learning environment. She helps students build confidence in their woodworking abilities by emphasizing hands-on learning, problem-solving, and creative expression. Whether guiding beginners through foundational skills or mentoring advanced students in fine craftsmanship, she is passionate about passing on the joy of working with wood.

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Alex Jarus is a Chicago-based artist and educator whose work blends human scaled sculpture with tradition furniture forms. Rooted in historical chair making and carving principles, their practice reimagines craft as a language for queer and non-binary identity. The “artifacts” that they create seem as if they were unearthed from distant futures or forgotten pasts. Their work invites viewers to interact with vernacular objects in a space where function blends with curiosity and the material becomes a vessel of speculative fiction.

As an educator, they foster inclusive and experimental learning environments, where strong foundations support risk-taking and failure becomes a pathway to discovery.

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Experienced educator and fabrication lab manager with over 10 years of woodworking, digital fabrication, prototyping, marketing, and curricular design experience. MAC has collaborated with organizations across Chicago and the midwest, and across generations from youth & teen programming to adult workshops and intergenerational events for community elders. MAC’s approach to education is open to questions, empowering of inherent ability, and patient with growth. MAC believes knowledge is for everyone and was made to be shared.