Stephen Thrasher

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.

Statement

Technology 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?