Niels Jensen - A natural cabinetmaker

The inspiration for Niels Jensen's first piece of furniture came from a practical need. He wanted a place to store his tools so he made a toolbox. He was seven years old. Niels' approach to making furniture remains the same today, as he designs attractive furniture to respond to practical needs.

Working with wood comes naturally to Niels, for he's the sixth generation of Jensen cabinetmakers. His father, who immigrated to Canada from Denmark, was a woodworker and architect. His grandfather was a staircase maker. Niels has inherited his father's and grandfather's toolboxes, which he uses in his workshop in Tomifobia in the Eastern Townships of Quebec.

When a client comes with an idea for a piece of furniture, Niels enjoys collaborating on the design. He discussses the person's particular needs and then designs a piece of furniture that best reponds to their requirementsNiels especially likes Shaker-influenced designs. He appreciates the Shaker aesthetic, where form follows function, and he admires the honesty of Shaker workmanship. Niels also takes inspiration from the Arts and Crafts designs of Frank Lloyd Wright and the Greene Brothers of California.

Niels makes his furniture from domestic and exotic hardwoods. He chooses the wood for each project in consultation with the client. His personal preference is domestic hardwoods, such as curly maple, birdseye maple and butternut

Niels' workshop is located in the former Tomifobia Farmers' Cooperative building. From 1890 to 1965, the first floor was a grain feedstore and the basement was a seedroom. The second floor was home to a dance hall. Niels has used the building for his furniture-making since 1980.

Niels' furniture is often on display at Studio Georgeville, the art gallery he and his wife Louise Abbott, a photographer, opened in 2008 with several other artists in Georgeville, Quebec. Niels frequently exhibits his work in the Festival des Arts, an annual summer art show in Georgeville and neighboring Fitch Bay.

Cabinetmaking isn't Niels' only creative outlet. He's also a photographer. At the moment Niels and Louise are collaborating on a book documenting life in the James Bay region of Quebec. They've been commissioned to create the book by COTA, the Cree Outfitting and Tourism Association.