Originally from California, Dr. Charlie Peterson began woodworking because he wanted a chair that he couldn’t afford. This first impulse initiated a career, as he continues to teach woodworking and to produce custom furniture and cabinetry for a diverse clientele.  With a doctorate in art history and over 20 years teaching at universities across the country inspiring his craft, Charlie explores traditional forms and practices, altering them to serve the evolving demands and anxieties of a changing world.  He is currently the instructor in Wood at the Appalachian Center for Craft in Tennessee, splitting his time there and California with his partner Alexandra Mavrikis, who is also a woodworker and educator.