Have you ever felt like your furniture could use some TLC, but your woodworking skills
aren’t up to par? Fret no more – Mario Gracia is here to help you see repurposing as an art, and how revamping your home doesn’t have to be so expensive.
What motivated you to delve into carpentry?
Foreseeing that, frankly, my bachelor’s degree in Comparative Literature would not guarantee a job after graduation, I began to seriously consider alternate work possibilities. I always questioned why our educational system leaves out practical information and knowledge, for example, how to repair your car, how electricity works in houses, and how to build all sorts of things. With this in mind, I aimed to dedicate my time to learning a skill that would involve creativity, physical activity and a workshop environment.
I eventually narrowed my search down to wanting to work with wood, a natural, versatile, beautiful and readily available material. I was somewhat familiar with most elements and tools in woodworking because my father Jaime Gracia is a wood and metal sculpture artist. Having such an example so close to me enabled me to see the potential of wood as both a medium of expression and a way of earning a living.
Where did you learn?
I believe that there are no coincidences. As I began asking around for people who could teach me, my friend Pablo told me his father Juan del Hierro ran a homegrown workshop.
I called him right away to ask if I could become his apprentice. The timing could have not been better: four days before my call he had had an accident in which he injured his shoulder, rendering him unable to work alone in his workshop. He needed help, and there I was. We met the day after my call and from there on I went every day to his house, his shop, eager to learn. Originally from Ecuador, he got the chance to travel to New York City, where he learned all sorts of skills in the city from a wide variety of people while doing dancing professionally, which is his passion. After getting married, the entire family moved to Puerto Rico and he established his shop little by little, with lots of hard work. His story is very inspiring; I could not have had a better teacher.
How would you describe your approach to every project?
I see every project as unique, having its own particularities and necessities. Communication with who I am working for is fundamental in developing any project. Asking the customer for examples they have seen or thought of for their furniture project is always very helpful; if they have a clear idea of what they want I have a clearer idea on how to design and build. Initially I try to target the specific needs the customer wants the furniture to fulfill and try to create several possible solutions which may vary in the materials used, finish and price. My work is careful and detailed, with the goal of presenting what fine woodworking is about.
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