Matt Thomas Woodworking at Smith Galleries

Matt Thomas at work in his studio.

Sometimes success is born out of tragedy. For Matt Thomas, a West Virginia woodworker, his current career came into being because of a 16’ fall from a rain slick metal roof. That was six years ago.

Even as a teenager Matt valued fine craftsmanship. The son of a carpenter, Matt was one of the youngest craftsmen to be juried

Serving boards

into Tamarack, West Virginia’s showcase of fine arts and handcrafts. In 2002, shortly after high school graduation Matt started his own general contracting service to support his bride. Even then he kept up his woodworking skills and also became proficient at blacksmithing. Both skill sets  were growing, as was his family. All was proceeding smoothly until that fall from a roof in 2011. It was the fall that resulted in fractured vertebrae that put an end to his contracting business and brought him back to his woodworking roots.

Sushi boards and chop sticks

“I lay in that hospital bed, immobilized and worrying about how I’d support my wife and kids,“ Thomas said. He received a visit from Sally Barton from the Tamarack Foundation. They were launching a project to mentor promising artists for a year with the goal of sharpening their marketing and entrepreneurial skills. Matt was invited to be one of eight artists in the pilot program. Over the following months as he regained his mobility, Matt focused on his art-quality wood furniture. The business man in him blended with the artist to develop a production oriented

Centerpiece tea light holder

product line he could sell to galleries. Using marketing skills he learned in the Tamarack program, he produced a mailing he sent to galleries who would be attending a trade show where he would be exhibiting. We received one of those packets and were very impressed with both his woodworking skills and his business acumen. We along with many other galleries ordered from Matt and continue to represent him.

Individual teal light holders

Things are on track again for Matt. His studio next to his home has grown, his business has grown, and his family has grown. Life doesn’t always turn out the way we planned; but sometimes it turns out better. As Matt says, “Now I can do what I love, where I love, around those I love. In a way, I’m grateful for the fall.”

See more of the woodworking of Matt Thomas here.

Smith Galleries is located in the Village at Wexford, Suite J11 (UPSTAIRS), on Hilton Head Island. Gallery hours are 10 - 6 Monday through Saturday. 843-842-2280