About Salvage Artist Dan Dennis
I grew up overseas, in Japan, where my parents were missionaries. In 1982, when I was fourteen, we moved to the Lancaster area of Pennsylvania, where I finished High school in the town of Lititz. I continued my education in England, and eventually found myself working in a youth hostel in Eilat, Israel. For the next decade or so I travelled fairly extensively while waiting tables and taking part time college classes. This included two four- month long cross country trips in India and Nepal. Eventually I graduated from Millersville University with degrees in English Literature and Philosophy.
When I was growing up, my family always had a woodstove, and my father and I would salvage firewood wherever we could. My mother loved finding old furniture and I enjoyed watching her re-finishing her projects. At some point in my twenties, I made my first attempt at building something from the wood pile. In retrospect, I'm sure the boards would have been better used in the fireplace, but the exercise kindled a curiosity that still exists today.
All across America, old barns and houses are being demolished and scrapped. To some of us, this is a true crime, as the virgin forest lumber used to build these old buildings was truly unique. They not only hold the history of the American pioneering spirit, but a 150 year old slab of pumpkin-colored pine has infinitely more character than its long lost cousin that you would buy in Home Depot today. I'm a firm believer in the "green revolution" sweeping America and am dedicated to putting these antique woods back into practical and aesthetically pleasing use. I'm a "one-man-band" and a minimalist, as my tools are generally limited to the table-saw, belt sander and screw-gun. I'm also self-taught, so one can say that each piece is a true example of contemporary American Folk Art.