John Furniss

(American, born 1981)

John Furniss is a woodworker who has been blind since the age of 16. He learned woodworking in his early twenties from a teacher who was also blind. His teacher was able to share adaptive techniques with him that he still uses. The blueprints for Furniss's projects start in his mind. He visualizes the design and changes it any way he needs to. In his own way, he still uses sight by forming a physical object that originated as an imagined diagram in his mind. Furniss lives in Washougal, Southwestern Washington, with his wife Anni who is also an artist, and their dog, Pickle.