For
five years in the early ’90s, Steve Kitto resided in a wall tent in
the Eskimo village of Emmonak, Alaska, and worked for the Department
of Fish and Game. With few modern distractions and long breaks
between fish-monitoring shifts, he had plenty of time to embrace new
hobbies and was inspired by his Eskimo neighbors’ woodworking
skills. It took him four months to build his first chair.
A decade later, Kitto can finish a chair in a few weeks. He also
makes much more than just chairs. Kitto makes everything from lamps
to coffee tables to bar stools and has showrooms in Jackson Hole,
Wyo., as well as Victor, Idaho (near Grand Targhee ski resort and
next to his home that he single-handedly built—evidence that he
believes in his craftsmanship).
During his stint in Alaska, Kitto had at his disposal an
abundance of indigenous diamond willow wood, full of interesting
knots, knobs and furrows. In Wyoming, he finds similar qualities in
juniper wood (a rot-resistant cedar) and harvests the likes of
discarded snowfences and windfallen trees. Though there are a number
of pieces ready for purchase in his shop, Kitto works mainly on
commission. He says of the average lead time: "Buyers will need to
be patient and appreciate that the pieces are worth the wait," and
his long list of repeat clients is a tribute to that fact. In terms
of pricing, axe-handle barstools run about $400 apiece, lamps range
from $200 to $2,000, desks and tables start at $1,800, and rocking
chairs start at $3,200.
Contact Kitto at 307-690-1044 or stevekitto@juno.com, or visit
rustic-gallery.com.
If you enjoyed reading this
article, click
here try SKI Magazine for FREE.
Related Articles
High Country
Watercolors | Zoe Murphy Compton
Lighting | Clarner Woodworks | Creative Homes | Kevin Red Star | Lifetime Love | Cornerstone Masonry
| Carolyn Keigley | Rokoko: Custom