Leslie Webb was born and raised in Georgetown, Texas. After high school, she attended Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. While pursuing a science degree, she was distracted by art classes. Confused and doubting her choice, Leslie decided to take a break from her formal education.

It was while working as a nanny for the Van Vranken family in Brunswick that she was first introduced to woodworking. One morning at breakfast, perusing a furniture catalog, she commented that it would be great to build beautiful things that were still functional. Robert, the father of the family, said that he didn’t know how to build fine furniture. He did have basic carpentry skills, though, and offered to teach her what he knew. An artist himself, Leslie began working in Robert’s studio a couple afternoons a week, building shipping crates for his paintings. From the very first time she cut a piece of wood, she knew she had found her calling.

Leslie soon enrolled in and completed the Nine Month Comprehensive Course at the renowned Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, Maine. During her time at the Center, she gained a solid technical foundation and began developing her own aesthetic. Continuing her education, she came to the Crafts and Design Program at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario. While at Sheridan, Leslie relentlessly challenged her design sense and technical knowledge. Recognition and awards quickly followed, including the prestigious Niche Student Awards. During a summer break, she had the opportunity to apprentice with the legendary furniture maker Michael Fortune, an experience she considers invaluable to her success today.

Upon graduation, Leslie moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and opened her own business. She joined the Stenton Guild, a co-op in Germantown. She immediately began being juried into prestigious shows, such as ICFF, the Architectural Digest Home Design Show, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show. Her works have been published in both books and magazines, and her creations reside in homes from New England to southern California. Moving closer to her roots, Leslie relocated to the Dallas area in 2009. She expanded her capabilities to include commercial projects, limited batch production, and large scale production.

Leslie loves the challenge of balancing the aesthetic and utilitarian aspects of each piece she designs and builds. Many argue that form follows function. However, she maintains that form and function are equally important, that they must act together to create a whole. Her designs often employ the use of pattern and repetition, building works whose totals are greater than the sum of their parts.

Leslie Webb 

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© 2010 Leslie Webb