Frank Strazza

Maker of Fine Furniture 

FRANK STRAZZA BIO

Frank’s interests in woodworking are many and varied. His passion covers several aspects of furniture making including, carving, inlaying, marquetry, tool making,  Windsor chair making as well as violin making.

 Frank’s first recollection of any interest in woodworking came at the age of seven when  his mother found an old hand crank drill at an antique trading post, this piqued Frank’s interest in tools, and furthermore, in working with wood. When Frank was young he was given the opportunity to take some woodworking classes in the evenings with some of the men in his community. At the age of twelve, he built a cedar chest with hand cut dovetails throughout.

 Frank apprenticed with the Heritage Craftsman, first in Austin, Texas and then later in Waco, Texas. He has been building furniture for over 25 years and his work has been featured in both local and national publications, including Woodworker West, Woodwork Magazine and Fine Woodworking. Frank has won multiple awards, including, Best of Show, Peoples Choice, First and Second Place, Best Traditional Furniture and much more for many of his pieces, including several awards both at the Texas Furniture Makers Show and at the International Design in Wood Exhibition in California. His most recent win was at the 2012 Texas Furniture Makers Show where he won, both Best of Show and People’s Choice for his “Roses Table”. He has also participated in building furniture for the permanent collection at the White House in Washington D.C.

Frank has taught at many different venues including the Heritage School of Woodworking in Waco Texas as well as Lie-Nielsen Toolworks in Maine and the Alaska Creative Woodworkers Assc. He has also demonstrated woodworking at many different events across the country including Lie-Nielsen's Handtool events, The Woodworking Shows and Handworks.