Peter Chapman                                                                              Virginia

Virginia Tech

Peter’s career in woodworking grew out of a background in architecture and design.  A native of southwest Virginia, he studied architecture at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA. In 1969 he met and went to work for George Nakashima in New Hope, PA. Peter credits the years spent at Nakashima’s studio for much of his appreciation for wood and meticulous joinery. Then in 1975 Peter returned to the Blue Ridge Mountains to establish his own wood working studio. 

Peter is a member of the Southern Highlands Handcrafts Guild, the Virginia Mountain Crafts Guild and the International Wood Collectors Society. 

Peter has developed a unique technique of cutting a single piece of wood into a three-dimensional interlocking puzzle. The result is an animal that articulates and moves like the creature it represents. Peter’s puzzles have been featured on television and in many magazines and newspapers. He has also received numerous awards for his original designs.