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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 20, 2015)
FRIDAYEXTRA ! The Daily Astorian Friday, February 20, 2015 Weekend Edition Ships in the river By NOEL THOMAS )RU7KH'DLO\$VWRULDQ I painted this grouping of boats, above, with the U.S. Coast Guard’s Cutter Steadfast from the end of the 14th Street Pier on a warm, calm afternoon. This watercolor of the three ships in the distance, right, was done rather quickly, as the weather was moving in fast and I was about to get soaked. 1RHO7KRPDVLVDQ$VWRULDDUWLVWZKRVHZRUNPD\EHVHHQ DQGSXUFKDVHGDWWKH5LYHU6HD*DOOHU\&RPPHUFLDO6W LIFE AND ART DOVETAIL Ali Harrington uses tradition in functional art µ,GRQ¶WOLNHWR¿[ furniture. I love to make furniture from scratch. I love to make pieces VSHFL¿FDOO\IRUD particular person, to last for lifetimes.’ By NATALIE ST. JOHN EO Media Group O CEAN PARK, Wash. — Woodworker Ali Harrington was always good at making things, but it took years of tri- DODQGHUURUIRUKHUWR¿JXUH out what she wanted to make. It took even longer to begin thinking of herself as an artist. With the support of her partner, Har- rington, a mother of one, is building a business that is true to her values, and her unique sensibility. In her Ocean Park workshop, Harrington crafts high-quality hardwood furniture, boxes, cutting boards and other items. She is steadfastly dedicat- ed to a kind of work that can’t be rushed. Her passion lies in using distinctive hard- woods and traditional techniques —no QDLOV ² WR FUHDWH SLHFHV WKDW UHÀHFW WKH tastes of each customer. A former aviation mechanic, Harrington had always thought of herself as a practical person — some- RQH ZKR ¿[HG WKLQJV WKDW ZHUH EURNHQ When she met her partner, Sonya Lynn LQVKHZDVVWLOO¿[LQJSODQHVLQWKH Seattle area. But the relationship got seri- ous, and eventually she and Lynn realized they wanted to live together. Lynn had a good job and was actively involved in — Ali Harrington Woodworker from Ocean Park, Wash. make furniture from scratch. I love to make SLHFHVVSHFL¿FDOO\IRUDSDUWLFXODUSHUVRQ Ali Harrington trims a piece of hardwood in her garage-turned-workshop to last for lifetimes” Harrington explained. in Ocean Park, Wash. 7U\LQJ WR FUDQN RXW UHSDLUV IRU SUR¿W made woodworking feel like a chore in- community service on the Peninsula, so Eventually, Ivy agreed to mentor her, and stead of a passion. After some soul-search- +DUULQJWRQWRRNWKH¿UVWRIVHYHUDOOHDSV Harrington threw herself into learning his ing, the couple decided to take a new ap- and relocated. trade. proach: Lynn offered to support Harrington With very little local demand for air- “I just enjoyed tearing things apart and as she gradually built a business that fo- plane repair skills, Harrington needed to learning where everything is supposed to cused on creating her own unique pieces. ¿JXUH RXW ZKDW KHU QH[W DFW ZDV JRLQJ go,” Harrington recalled. “I am more of a serious person. Sonya to be. She had always had an interest in Harrington’s skills grew steadily, as KDVUHDOO\KHOSHGLQÀXHQFHDQGHQFRXUDJH woodworking. When she began looking she built furniture for the home she shared my whimsical creativity,” Harrington said. around for new furniture for their home, with Lynn and took on paid jobs build- She credits her partner with pushing her to she saw a lot of hastily-constructed, over- ing or repairing pieces for others. But her add more creative and beautiful details, like priced products. She thought she could do heart wasn’t in it. The more she worked, polka-dot inlays to her work. better. While working in the hardware de- the more strongly she felt that she wanted Now, Harrington balances woodwork- partment at Jack’s, she approached the late WRFUHDWHWKLQJVWKDWUHÀHFWHGKHURZQVW\OH ing with community service and caring Wayne Ivy, a talented local woodwork- and interests. See WOODWORKER, Page 4C er who made craftsman-style furniture. ³,GRQ¶WOLNHWR¿[IXUQLWXUH,ORYHWR NATALIE ST. JOHN — EO Media Group ts Presen Live at the Liberty Theater, Astoria Tickets $15 - $20 - $25 at the Liberty Box office & www.TicketsWest.com/ March 6 7:30 pm His only Oregon performance!
