ABOUT FLOATING STONE WOODWORKS
FLOATING STONE WOODWORKS, owned and operated by artist and craftsman Michael Pietragalla, is a custom furniture shop in New Bedford, Massachusetts. We specialize in hand-crafted tables, bookcases, consoles, case pieces and benches.
Every piece of furniture is built and finished individually. Joints are precision cut and hand-fitted. Finishes are hand-rubbed oil and varnish, or French polished shellac. Each piece is signed and dated. We use highly figured hardwoods sourced from FSC certified dealers who buy only from managed, renewable forests - quarter-sawn white oak, cherry, maple and walnut. We don't use plywood or veneers and limit the use of imported woods, such as mahogany and teak. The boards for each piece are carefully selected to match figure, pattern and grain. If desired, we will show the lighter shaded "sap-wood" in cherry and walnut tabletops because of the wonderful color patterns it creates.
Because the pieces are individually made, dimensions may be altered to suit your requirements. You may select the wood for your piece, and we do our best to work with you in scheduling a piece for a special gift or occasion.
FLOATING STONE WOODWORKS is located in Space 406 at Hatch Street Studios, 88 Hatch Street in New Bedford.
Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Evenings and weekends by appointment.
Phone: 508.997.1079
Email: FloatingStone@comcast.net
Instagram: @floating_stone_woodworks
Facebook: Facebook.com/Floating-Stone-Woodworks
CLICK HERE to send us an email.
Every piece of furniture is built and finished individually. Joints are precision cut and hand-fitted. Finishes are hand-rubbed oil and varnish, or French polished shellac. Each piece is signed and dated. We use highly figured hardwoods sourced from FSC certified dealers who buy only from managed, renewable forests - quarter-sawn white oak, cherry, maple and walnut. We don't use plywood or veneers and limit the use of imported woods, such as mahogany and teak. The boards for each piece are carefully selected to match figure, pattern and grain. If desired, we will show the lighter shaded "sap-wood" in cherry and walnut tabletops because of the wonderful color patterns it creates.
Because the pieces are individually made, dimensions may be altered to suit your requirements. You may select the wood for your piece, and we do our best to work with you in scheduling a piece for a special gift or occasion.
FLOATING STONE WOODWORKS is located in Space 406 at Hatch Street Studios, 88 Hatch Street in New Bedford.
Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Evenings and weekends by appointment.
Phone: 508.997.1079
Email: FloatingStone@comcast.net
Instagram: @floating_stone_woodworks
Facebook: Facebook.com/Floating-Stone-Woodworks
CLICK HERE to send us an email.
TESTIMONIALS
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Please click on photo to read testimonials from our satisfied customers. |
ABOUT MICHAEL PIETRAGALLA
Michael Pietragalla received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, majoring in painting, from the Swain School of Design in 1972. After graduation, he found occupation as a carpenter, and in 1974, he started working as a set designer and builder for theatre groups throughout southern New England.
In 1977, Pietragalla relocated to the Boston area to attend classes at the Massachusetts College of Art. During that period, he taught photography and graphic design to inner-city youth under the aegis of a federally funded social program. When the program came to an end, he turned to finish carpentry.
With training in the classical studio arts and increased experience as a carpenter, Pietragalla found that furniture design and production was a natural way to apply his hands, head, and heart to his craft. Since 1997, he has been making custom-designed furniture in his studio in New Bedford, Massachusetts. His work is influenced by Asian design sensibilities and is in private collections across the United States. He has exhibited in numerous solo exhibitions and group shows in New Bedford, as well as on Cape Cod, and in Rhode Island and Connecticut. Pietragalla is a member of The Furniture Society, a non-profit educational organization advancing the art of furniture and appreciation for the art form.
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
My style of furniture-making has evolved from my perceptions of Japanese (and other Asian) art and design. Although I make chairs and casework, I have a clear preference for tables. They are architectural in their most basic form, structural in the manner of a building. The legs are posts, the aprons are rafters, and the top is a roof.
In 1977, Pietragalla relocated to the Boston area to attend classes at the Massachusetts College of Art. During that period, he taught photography and graphic design to inner-city youth under the aegis of a federally funded social program. When the program came to an end, he turned to finish carpentry.
With training in the classical studio arts and increased experience as a carpenter, Pietragalla found that furniture design and production was a natural way to apply his hands, head, and heart to his craft. Since 1997, he has been making custom-designed furniture in his studio in New Bedford, Massachusetts. His work is influenced by Asian design sensibilities and is in private collections across the United States. He has exhibited in numerous solo exhibitions and group shows in New Bedford, as well as on Cape Cod, and in Rhode Island and Connecticut. Pietragalla is a member of The Furniture Society, a non-profit educational organization advancing the art of furniture and appreciation for the art form.
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
My style of furniture-making has evolved from my perceptions of Japanese (and other Asian) art and design. Although I make chairs and casework, I have a clear preference for tables. They are architectural in their most basic form, structural in the manner of a building. The legs are posts, the aprons are rafters, and the top is a roof.
Photo credit: Peter Pereira
PUBLICITY
SOUTHCOAST ARTISTS INDEX INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL
Settle in with a Dark 'n' Stormy, Michael's favorite rum-infused beverage, and listen to his conversation with Ron Fortier of The Artists Index, a podcast series focused on artists of Southcoast Massachusetts. The two discuss Michael's fine arts education at the Swain School of Design, his interest in the Arts and Crafts Movement, and his nearly 25 years as a professional woodworker in Vermont and New Bedford.
Settle in with a Dark 'n' Stormy, Michael's favorite rum-infused beverage, and listen to his conversation with Ron Fortier of The Artists Index, a podcast series focused on artists of Southcoast Massachusetts. The two discuss Michael's fine arts education at the Swain School of Design, his interest in the Arts and Crafts Movement, and his nearly 25 years as a professional woodworker in Vermont and New Bedford.
"The life so short, the craft so long to learn: North End furniture maker combines art and design in function"
New Bedford Standard-Times, December 31, 2017
"Floating Stone Woodworks: A Story In Itself"
New Bedford Standard-Times, November 11, 2001
New Bedford Standard-Times, December 31, 2017
"Floating Stone Woodworks: A Story In Itself"
New Bedford Standard-Times, November 11, 2001