The South Coast is home to numerous wood artisans working to keep the art of fine woodworking alive and available to the public. Schools such as the Rhode Island School of Design, Bristol Community College and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth make the South Coast rich in artisans. It’s a worth a trip to a studio, gallery, or show of fine crafts to acquire a piece that’s an embodiment of the passion of its creator - a genuine treasure that can be passed on and cherished by new generations.
Woodworker Michael Pietragalla graduated from the historic Swain School of Design (now the UMass Dartmouth College of Visual and Performing Arts) and chose to stay in the area, working at his craft in the Hatch Street Studios in the north end of New Bedford. He dedicates his career to developing innovative new designs one piece at a time, and to keeping traditional wood working alive through antique restoration projects.
Restoring the old
Pietragalla’s current commission is an extensive restoration of a massive donated pharmacy bench, circa 1860, for future display in the lecture hall at the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy in Kingston. The University plans to use the bench to educate students about the history of the pharmacy business – druggists used the wooden structure to organize, store and mix raw chemicals into preparations for patients – and compare the past with modern techniques used by hospital and chain pharmacies.
Upon receipt of the massive bench, Pietragalla and assistants carefully dismantled it, removed decorative moldings and cabinet fronts. They assessed which pieces needed the most repair and reconstructed many parts, such as cabinet fronts, from scratch. Such an extensive restoration takes knowledge of historical furniture styles and a good creative imagination.
After individual parts are reconstructed, the entire structure is stripped and refinished. A collaborating architect looks at stain samples and chooses a color that is closest to what the finish would have looked like when the object was new. Stains are hand-rubbed in multiple layers deep into the wood and the final bench is sent out for additional layers of spray lacquer for a durable and glowing finish before going on permanent display in Kingston.
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