Gerry Lamanski, a Phoenix-area transplant originally from Detroit, was honored last month as one of Phoenix Home & Garden's "Masters of the Southwest."




The trees of the Southwest hold something special in the eyes of Gerry Lamanski. The 53-year-old Tempe woodworker enjoys crafting his rustic-style furniture of materials gathered from such trees as ponderosa pine, mesquite, cottonwood and aspen.
"The Southwest has always been a magical place," Lamanski said. "Many of my customers come here for the beauty of the desert, the big sky and wide-open spaces."
Lamanski, a Phoenix-area transplant originally from Detroit, was honored last month as one of Phoenix Home & Garden's "Masters of the Southwest," a yearly distinction reserved for excellence in design and artisanship. Those acknowledged have contributed significantly to desert-inspired home-and-garden design.
Lamanski's Arizona Centennial collection, comprised mainly of conference, dining and coffee tables, is a nod to this theme. Wagon-wheel spokes, copper and the natural beauty of the wood inspire the desert-sun imagery of his latest pieces. He recently completed a custom order for the offices of a company working in line with his interest in sustainable forestry.


"They're investing in forestry and wildlands management — sustainably harvesting wood, preventing wildfires, and using the waste for biofuel energy generation."
The craftsman attributes his success to his lifelong passion — he built a doghouse, complete with wood shingles, on his own at age 7. He's also a skilled fabricator who studied physics and industrial design in college, which propelled him to tackle even the most challenging projects.
"Using fine cabinetmaking techniques I had to create 80 rooms of furniture for a boutique hotel in California," Lamanski said. "I designed and manufactured special machinery to accomplish that goal."


Lamanski's work graces the offices and homes of an array of prominent clients. One of his earlier projects involved building the interior of Willie Nelson's tour bus. He most enjoys working with clients who give him complete creative freedom.
"The most rewarding projects are customers who appreciate the art of woodworking or craftsmanship," he said, adding that charity work has helped him hone his craft and put into perspective what's truly important.
Last year, Lamanski donated one of his Penelope benches, a design inspired by Homer's "The Odyssey," to the Desert Botanical Garden. And earlier in his career, he built a shelter's worth of bunk beds for the Sojourner Women's Center.
"If you're an artisan and you want to be successful, help the community be successful," he said.
In addition to mythology and the natural beauty of the desert landscape, Lamanski said he is most inspired by his clients' unique needs and desires. He said his goal is to bring the natural beauty of the outdoors into the living and working space.
Photos of Lamanski's work can be found on his website, arizonaranch.com.

For related resources, Design for Disassembly, Eco-Design, Environment and AD Technology guidelines related to this can be downloaded for free at:


http://www.activedisassembly.com/strategy/