As a Fine Arts major at Flagler College and a creator of more than 200 contemporary and abstract sculptures, Charles “Chuck” Foster has always gravitated toward 3-D design.
As the CEO of American Woodcrafters,a manufacturer of bedroom, dining, and entertainment furniture and desks in casual classic styles, Foster may be working with the ultimate 3-D forms.
When Foster took the helm of the company in 2014 following the death of his father, John, he did not fully anticipate how much his creative side and his artist’s eye would shape American Woodcrafters and its collections. While not the same as carving in stone, Foster’s work sourcing and developing furniture taps into his expertise and talent as an artist.
Foster’s Sculptures Leave Mark on High Point
American Woodcrafters (AWC) is based in High Point, N.C., the furniture capital of the world. Several of Foster’s sculptures are displayed prominently in High Point, including his “Parent and Child” sculpture at the Chamber of Commerce and a peaceful dove sculpture on the grounds of Hospice House of High Point.
His sculptures are also displayed in Richmond, Va., and parts of Florida.
Recently, Foster was profiled in the local newspaper when his new granite and sandstone sculpture named after his son Smith was moved to a permanent site on the greenway near a recreation center in town
“There are similarities between furniture and art,” Foster says. “Both are driven by creativity and design collaboration, both look to historical and current design trends, and both have the capacity to enrich lives and make you feel uplifted.”
Noting that, “In furniture, you’re only as strong as the manufacturers and designers you work with, “ he believes his contribution comes in helping to execute furniture designs in the factory to scale. “Making a set of furniture samples is one thing, but it’s a real creative and collaborative team endeavor to guide the process of making 1,000 pieces efficiently.”
“Our furniture has a lot of artisan touches to it,” Foster believes. He gives a specific example of a design detail that was influenced by his artist’s eye. “The 2800 Aurora Collection has unique wood bar pulls with gunmetal-colored anchors on the end that are directly related to my creative input,” he says.
The casual rustic character of Aurora is at home in settings from loft to cabin. The roughhewn Driftwood Grey finish is accented by custom wood bar pulls with gunmetal anchors on the end for an industrial vibe.
“A furniture collection is almost like a collection of art,” Foster says. “That’s our desire for American Woodcrafters furnishings – that they will make you feel uplifted and enrich your home.”
