Bill Cerny is an artist whose medium is wood.  Ever since Bill held his first bow saw as a little boy, he has been fascinated by the character and color of wood.  Where most of us look at a log and see firewood, Bill sees the potential for a one-of-a-kind piece of furniture or accessory.  He loves worm holes, short trunks or limbs that create interesting grain patterns, crotch wood from the fork of a tree, and wood in the early stage of decay.

 A true master craftsman, Bill quarters the log with his chain saw, saws the quarters into rough boards, dries the wood in his kiln and finishes the boards for use in his one-of-a-kind piece.  He says, “Quality furniture requires that the boards be both air-dried and kiln dried.  Without proper drying, the boards are subject to uncontrollable shrinkage which produces loose joints, splits in the wood and panel distortions.”  He prefers Mission-style because it showcases quality joinery plus the natural beauty of top grade quarter-sawn lumber with vivid grain patterns.  He incorporates mortise-and-tenon and wood pegs for the frames, dovetail joints for drawers, and bowties for flat panels.  He also experiments with other artistic details like bark-edged accent tables, see-through wooden vases and in-lays with contrasting woods. 

Woodworking has been Bill’s life’s passion but not his life’s work. He started making furniture in high school and after graduation he worked at a planing mill for a year and also earned his journeyman certificate.  Although he was always working on a wood project or two, he began a 30+ year career with Shell Oil Refinery and retired in 2000 as a pressure vessel inspector.  Since then, he has been self-employed as a custom interior woodworker for new and older homes.  Ten years ago he also started the Edwardsville Area Woodworkers Club.  The purpose in forming the group was to help and encourage all woodworkers through discussion, demonstration and mentoring.  The group meets monthly and also participates in community events, showing some of the members’ completed pieces and demonstrating woodworking techniques. 

Bill has a variety of items already built using a variety of local hard woods, but he welcomes custom orders for a one-of-a-kind heirloom piece.  He says, “If you can dream it, I can build it!”  For a personal shopping expedition or tour:  618 410-5431 or Hardwood Custom Interiors       wcerny44@sbcglobal.net