About Anne
Normality is a paved road; It’s comfortable to walk, but no flowers grow.
- Vincent van Gogh
I’ve never considered myself a “creative…”
I couldn’t draw, I couldn’t paint, I had zero “traditional” artistic ability. But when I found woodworking, I began to understand that “creativity” does not have to be found in your inherent talents. Creativity can be learned, it can be nurtured, it can be fueled into a passionate fire.
Woodworking found me in 2019 after I returned from working for a nonprofit and living in NE Nigeria. Resin soon followed. What started as a way to cope with anxiety and depression turned into an intense passion surrounded by an incredible community of artists.
It’s been three years since I first picked up a sander and I now have a fully stocked wood shop and art studio in my home in North Carolina.
I am an artist who enjoys new challenges, new mediums, and new learning opportunities. I get a thrill combining different techniques and mediums together to create something unique and expressive. I pride myself in using my creative eye to envision something unique that others don’t dare to try.
My staple creations are charcuterie boards, serving trays, coasters, end tables, and wall art. However, I also create custom furniture and home decor items.
No project is too small or too large. So if you have always wanted that specific piece of furniture or home decor - get in touch. I love a good challenge and I refuse to sell anything that I don’t deem impeccable quality.
~ Anne Guillen
My Process
All pieces are completely handmade by me, in my home studio and wood shop. I mostly work with local scrap/reclaimed wood from Black Forest Sawmill which requires milling each piece of wood to flatten and straighten it. I choose all my pieces in person, by hand, so I can find the most interesting shapes as well as intense character in each piece of wood. I like to be fully in tune with my art and pieces, so I spend a lot of time visioning; ensuring that each piece is maximized and utilized for the best project possible. I like to think that the wood tells me what it wants to become, I just help it materialize.
Many of my pieces are accented by epoxy resin, tinted with pigment or inlaid with semi-precious stones. Adding character and color to pieces is an important part of my artistic expression. In addition to woodworking, I also create mixed media pieces of wall art where resin is the star of the show, but she is accented by natural sands, shells, rocks, stones, laser engraving, and other textures, such as heavy body acrylic.
All of my pieces are sanded to 320 and finished to a silky smooth finish with my favorite wood finishing brand, Walrus Oil . Pieces are submerged in this vegan, food-safe oil for 24 hours so the wood grain is completely saturated. Pieces are then buffed and sealed with food-safe wax for a water-resistant, smooth finish.
“The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.”
— Henry David Thoreau