Silver Spring Artist Selected for Sugarloaf Craft Festival

Silver Spring artist Nicholas Phillips is one of the more than 400 artists exhibiting work this weekend at the juried Sugarloaf Craft Festival in Gaithersburg on Nov. 22, 23 and 24.

Philips works exclusively with wood as a primary medium, creating beautiful, useful items such as handcrafted wooden boxes. Occasionally, he incorporates metalwork, gilding and painting techniques into his work.

Phillips earned a doctorate in theoretical physics from the University of Maryland, College Park, and worked as a scientist with NASA, but quit his day job at the beginning of the year to become a full-time artist, working out of a small workshop in the basement of his family's home. 

Patch: How would you describe your work? 

Phillips: I describe my work as my artistic interpretation of everyday household items, crafted in wood. An important part of each piece is not only its form and choices of wood, but also the finishing of the wood.

Patch: How did you get into this type of art form?

Phillips: I've always enjoyed [working] with wood; I know I can spend a lifetime getting to know all the different types, how they look and how they want to be worked. The history of mankind is in woodworking; all cultures have a story of how wood has been used both functionally and decoratively. At the same time, there is still room for exploring and finding modern and individual methods for making my work my own expression. 

Patch: What are some of the inspirations for your work?

Phillips: One of my foremost inspirations is my background in mathematics. ... Sometimes a piece will be based on the direct expression of a mathematical idea. ... At other times, it is subtle, in that I use different math techniques to figure out the details of a build process.

[Other favorite inspirations] are architectural movements of the 20th century. I strive to design pieces that use architectural or design elements of the past to evoke a sense of nostalgia.  

Patch: How long does it take you to create a piece of work?

Phillips: I usually make two or more copies of a work at a time, because I can never make definitive choices of woods and [I want] to give potential customers a variety of choices to fall in love with. My simpler works take two to three days to make three or four [copies]. My more elaborate ones take a week to make a pair.

Patch: What tools do you use? 

Phillips: I use a combination of power and hand woodworking tools. The table and band saws do most of the work breaking down rough-cut lumber. Most of the details and joinery are done at the router table. I'm quick to grab a hand plane or a chisel and hammer or one of my growing number of handsaws when I feel that is the best or safest way to proceed.  

Patch: When did you begin creating art?

Phillips: I've always been doing something artistic or crafty. As a kid, I was fascinated with weaving and watercolor painting. When I first went to college, I took music and drawing classes. But since I also have good math and science skills, I ended up focusing there academically. At the same time, I would collect used Super8 movie cameras and make stop-motion animations.

Eight years ago, when we [moved houses] and I found myself with room for a wood shop, my current interest in woodworking began to take over. At the same time, my personal dissatisfaction with my career as a research scientist with NASA grew, along with difficulties in staying funded. So I figured it was time to let my artistic side have a chance. 

Learn more about Phillips and his work on his website, www.AffineCreations.com.

Visit the Sugarloaf Craft Festival at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds (16 Chestnut St., Gaithersburg, MD 20877) on:

• Friday, Nov. 22, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Saturday, Nov. 23, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Sunday, Nov. 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.