McCormick Fine Woodworking

Personal Mission

Instinctively the very soul of mankind seeks beauty and is inextricably connected with the desire to touch perfection. Likewise, there exists an innate desire on the part of every human to create. Whether it be a garden, a poem, a song, or a sandcastle, I believe the process of creativity can be as vital to the psyche as food and water.

Among my most cherished childhood memories are times spent crafting things of wood in my grandfather's small workshop. After more than thirty years with my own shop I still enter the door with a smile at the sight of an early morning sun illuminating the vast collection of cherished tools awaiting my hands. Words cannot adequately describe the fresh sweet scent of cut walnut wood or the crisp sound of a thin shaving curling from the edge of a perfectly tuned hand plane. Though fulfilling as it is to move my fingertips across the surface of a finished piece in which countless hours have been invested, it is often not as exciting as the next idea waiting for life. It is the process of taking the timbers of a fallen tree and shaping the boards into an object of timeless beauty that brings joy - a process that defines woodworking.

Long ago I was blessed to have a mentor who one day suggested that I spend however many years it might take to answer one important question: What do you want to achieve through your work? He further suggested the answer would ultimately determine the integrity of my work. For many years the answer seemed obviously to be measured in terms of mastery and accomplishment - objectives toward which I earnestly endeavored.

	Ultimately, years after he had passed away and I had traveled many paths, I came to realize the answer to his nearly forgotten question. His works of wood had been a window into his soul that taught meaningful lessons about life. It has been stated that good is the enemy of greatness. My friend and mentor taught me of a place beyond good - an amazing and sensual world. My personal quest is that my work might speak of beauty to those who connect with what I craft, but more importantly, that it inspire within them a desire for greatness, to seek perfection in their own individual life's callings. I believe so often a person's true purpose is not found in learning or endeavoring, but rather in just doing what it is they naturally do. What measure of talent or ability I may possess, has simply come my way as a result of pursuing what I was gifted and called to do - to create objects from wood. I am a woodworker because it is simply what I am to do. Woodworking is not my life. I once had the opportunity to spend two weeks with the late Tage Frid, a European “master furniture maker”, who advised not to take our work too seriously, but rather be serious about living life. It is easy to become consumed by our work, but I try to practice his advice. My wife is my partner and at the center of my life. My children and family, friends, and woodworking are my life, with Christ as my director. Being a lifelong mountain climber, summiting in the Himalaya, along with my surfing and love of the sea, has had a profound influence on my life, and those experiences reflect in my work. Having spent years in the “fast lane” with hundreds of employees, I now work alone in my modest but fully appointed shop located on the grounds with our home. It is an idyllic setting with the scent and sights of lush tropical vegetation surrounding. The breeze off the sea, a few blocks away, blows through the windows of my shop. I am richly blessed. Richard McCormick	Personal Mission Instinctively the very soul of mankind seeks beauty and is inextricably connected with the desire to touch perfection. Likewise, there exists an innate desire on the part of every human to create. Whether it be a garden, a poem, a song, or a sandcastle, I believe the process of creativity can be as vital to the psyche as food and water. Among my most cherished childhood memories are times spent crafting things of wood in my grandfather's small workshop. After more than thirty years with my own shop I still enter the door with a smile at the sight of an early morning sun illuminating the vast collection of cherished tools awaiting my hands. Words cannot adequately describe the fresh sweet scent of cut walnut wood or the crisp sound of a thin shaving curling from the edge of a perfectly tuned hand plane. Though fulfilling as it is to move my fingertips across the surface of a finished piece in which countless hours have been invested, it is often not as exciting as the next idea waiting for life. It is the process of taking the timbers of a fallen tree and shaping the boards into an object of timeless beauty that brings joy - a process that defines woodworking. Long ago I was blessed to have a mentor who one day suggested that I spend however many years it might take to answer one important question: What do you want to achieve through your work? He further suggested the answer would ultimately determine the integrity of my work. For many years the answer seemed obviously to be measured in terms of mastery and accomplishment - objectives toward which I earnestly endeavored.


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