Modern minimalism made from wood
- Christina is part of a rising wave of women in woodworking
- Her pieces are characterised by clean forms, carved texture and colour accents
- She sources wood from her local surroundings in Virginia
Christina Boy has worked from her studio in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains since 2011. "It is a place of calm and few distractions where the landscape seeps into my work," she says. “Weathered barns, fields patterned by how they were sown, old rusted metal with beautiful patina, or peeling layers of paint – these all play a part in inspiring me.” Christina's approach reflects design sensibilities rooted in Bauhaus and mid-century minimalism. She favours straightforward lines, often paring a piece down to its essential form before introducing texture, pattern and colour in just the right measure. From her Madison workshop, Christina has built a widely recognised practice, earning honours such as the 2024 Wharton Esherick Prize and contributing to teaching programmes across the country.
Interview
- What is your process for developing new designs?
- Some ideas just flow and I build from experience and a vision in my head. Others start as sketches, especially more complex pieces like chairs, for which I do full-scale drawings by hand. Sometimes one piece inspires the next, and a series evolves through textures, colours or forms that carry forward.
- How did texture and colour become part of your work?
- The colours I use for my work are often driven by my moods and the seasons. This spring, while working on pieces for the Smithsonian Craft Show, the arrival of spring had me focus on bold, bright colours.
- What have you learned from teaching?
- Teaching is fulfilling. I love sharing woodworking with people new to the tools and watching their confidence grow. It also helps me reflect on my own process. Breaking down steps makes me rethink how and why I work the way I do, and sometimes I find better ways to do things.
- Is there a woodworking myth you would like to bust?
- People are always surprised that I am a woodworker because I am a woman! There are more of us now, and we are shaping the field in so many ways. That is why I was so excited to be part of the Seating Assignment exhibition at Sawtooth, which showcased women chair makers. It felt like proof that the narrative is shifting.
Christina Boy is a master artisan: she began her career in 2004 and she started teaching in 2016
Where
Christina Boy
