Stephen Thrasher is an engineer and woodworker in Somerville, MA. His work explores technology and craft, specifically how to use technology to shape and join wood in new and interesting ways. He graduated with a Furniture Design Certificate from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2022. Going forward, Stephen is interested in continuing to experiment (mainly with CNC on wood),remaining involved in the MassArt community through teaching and mentoring, and collaborating with others who are interested in how technology can support people who make things.
StatementTechnology shapes our lives in countless positive ways, like how manufacturing and automation make abundance possible. We also struggle with how It can affect us in unintended ways, making our lives more artificial and pressured. Woodworking and other crafts often serve as an anchor against how technology can disconnect people from their work. I try another approach, to treat technology in craft as a playground, explore what it can do, and learn new ways to work in wood. In the process, I consider questions, what is it like to work this way, how does it compare to working by hand or traditional machines, and what is gained or lost?