By Jennifer Quam

Nolan Edwards born and raised in McBride and a McBride Secondary School graduate just completes a 10 month course in the art of fine furniture making and can now call himself a craftsperson of quality furniture with a certificate in fine furniture building.

Edwards took the course at the Camosun College in Victoria.

“This was the best ten months of my life,” said Edwards. “In the beginning we started with just learning how to use the tools and continued to learn all the way through to design of furniture and then reach the pinnacle of our course where we designed and built a chair that will hold a human.”

The Fine Furniture program introduces students to the design, construction, and finishing skills required in the creation of fine furniture pieces.

Edwards said the course was spilt into about half in the area of design and the other half into the mechanics of building.

The Camosun College also teaches its students business and presentation concepts in the hopes of aiding them into marketing their products.

“I became interested in woodworks in high school shop classes and just never let it go,” said Edwards.

He said he plans to stay in Victoria for a while but hopes eventually to move back to McBride and open his own fine furniture shop.

“Douglas Fir is my favourite wood to work with and the quality and access to that wood and birch is so great in the valley,” said Edwards. “Plus I love the valley both visually and for its people.”

Edwards said there is a growing market for fine furniture, as he believes people are getting fed up with cheap knockoffs from chain stores.

“The furniture I build is of quality that it will literally last hundreds of years,” he said. “That is what people want nowadays.”

Edwards and his class had their work exhibited at the A. Wilfred Johns Gallery at the University of Victoria from the middle to the end of June.

Those interested in having Edwards design and build for them can call him at 250-889-7610.