With 1997 being the year for the Woodworking, Machinery & Furniture Supply Fair, held biannually in Anaheim, CA, CWB decided to take a close look at some of that state's custom woodworkers and their interesting projects.

Featured on the following pages are three California furniture designers whose small shops produce innovative and unique pieces. There are some common threads among them -- each is dedicated to providing top quality, and they all have incorporated metal and other non-wood materials into some of their work to stretch their creative horizons. The end products are distinctly unique, however, reflecting the individual personalities and interests of their creators and serving as good examples of the diversity of talent gathered on our Western shores.

So let your mind wander to a land of palm trees, beautiful weather and glamorous clients to enjoy some of the beautiful work being produced by custom woodworkers in "The Golden State."

The Lively Furniture of Lorinart -- Art Tabrizi creates beautifully curved furniture with graceful shapes in his Canoga Park shop. By Leland Edward Stone

Special Finishes Enhance 'Art Quality' Furniture at Blue Raven Design -- Valencia, CA-based Blue Raven Design blends functionality and art into its custom furniture line. By Beverly Dunne

Family Connection Gives Furniture Designer a Head Start -- Two brothers on opposite sides of the country use their individual talents -- one for furniture design, one for woodworking -- to build a successful furniture collection. By Margie Melaniphy