In the News
2025
January 1, 2025
Getting Creative in Lenawee County→
Lenawee Voice: Was one of your New Year’s resolutions to do something in 2025 to tap into your creative side? Perhaps you’ve always wanted to learn to draw, paint, make jewelry, throw a clay pot, create a quilt, crochet an afghan, knit a scarf, or even construct a Windsor chair.
2024
December 2, 2024
Woodworking Institute Secures Option from City of Adrian for Purchasing Witt Farm Acreage→
Daily Telegram: Luke Barnett has become a pretty regular attendant at Adrian City Commission meetings over the past few months.
That’s because Barnett, president and instructor at the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute (SBWI) headquartered in Adrian, has been deliberating with the city of Adrian on a potential expansion of the woodworking institute's campus.
Winter, 2024
Dreaming Big: The Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute Grows→
Pins & Tales: I wrote about Luke and his efforts in the Winter 2021 issue. At that time 11 students had graduated from the yearlong furniture program and Luke was the full-time instructor. Since then the program has doubled in size and a fulltime instructor was hired, freeing Luke to spend his time to lead, plan and expand the school. I was honored when he asked me to serve on his curriculum advisory committee and teach 3D modeling at the school.
October 29, 2024
What’s that? Part of Paris landmark replicated in downtown Ann Arbor→
MLive: A chunk of a famous Paris landmark at least a reconstruction of one, blocked an Ann Arbor street on Thursday.
The Ann Arbor Art Center is hosting an exhibition where a full-scale replica of a truss from Notre Dame Cathedral is on display until 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17 in front of 117 W. Liberty St. The structural framework had to be raised by a crane.
October 29, 2024
Sam Beauford Has Big, Multi-Million Dollar Expansion Plans→
Woodworking Network: The Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian, Michigan, is looking to expand its college presence in Adrian by embarking on a 20-year, estimated $40 million plan to expand their presence in the town and increase their number of students by tenfold.
Fall, 2024
SBWI Clamp Rack: Making the Storage System Flexible was Important
Pins & Tales: The Sam Beauford Woodshop was growing, driving the need for more woodworking clamps. Our goal was to store all the needed clamps in as little space as possible, keep the storage system flexible and organize it so students would be able to quickly find their needed clamp.
October 23, 2024
Woodworking Institute Plans New Campus, Asks City to Consider Land Sale→
Lenawee Voice: Big plans for the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute were detailed at the Oct. 21 Adrian City Commission meeting, along with a request for the city of Adrian to consider selling 22 acres of city-owned land on the north side of town for a future campus.
Summer, 2024
Society of Period Furniture Makers: Great Lakes Chapter News→
Pins & Tales: The Great Lakes Chapter held its spring 2024 meeting at the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian Michigan. SBWI was founded by Luke Barnett in 2017, and offers career programs, intensive courses, weekend classes, including women’s and youth classes. Luke has graciously offered his facility as a frequent meeting location for the Great Lakes Chapter. This is ideal because there are a dozen new Benchcrafted workbenches, woodworking machines, and room for making shavings and sawdust, as well as overhead video display capabilities.
May 29, 2024
2024 Wood Industry 40 Under 40: See Who Made the List→
Woodworking Network announces the honorees of its 40 Under 40 Class of 2024. This year marks the ninth annual awarding of the 40 Under 40, which celebrates the next generation of industry professionals who are making an impact on North American wood products manufacturing, design, sales, services and education.
April 5, 2024
Woodworking Institute’s Professional Program Gaains a Nationwide Reputation→
Lenawee Voice: Working in wood is much more than just a hobby, says Luke Barnett, founder of the SamBeauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian.
Nobody knows that better than the 20 students who are currently working toward diplomas in the institute’s professional program, titled Wood Design: Furniture Making. The diploma program, which is in its fourth year, is drawing students from across the U.S. and has placed graduates with some of the nation’s top furniture makers.
March 4, 2024
Morning Coffee, Cocktails Later Make Lowertown Bar and Cafe a Go-To Spot on Ann Arbor’s North Side→
MLive: In addition to coffee and cocktails, the bar features 16 taps for local beers and one reserved for cold brew. In the summer, Baker said the business plans to offer cocktails on tap and in to-go cans.
The cafe also plans to work with Adrian’s Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute to construct a timber frame pergola and host a frame-raising party in the summer.
March 2, 2024
Making Windsor Chairs at SBWI→
Lenawee Voice: The intersecting schedules of two different programs at the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian led to an unusual event in February: for one week, there were 27 artisans building 27 handmade Windsor chairs in the same building. These included 20 students who are part of a 40-week college program in furniture making; five students who traveled from across the country for a seven-day intensive course in making Windsor chairs; and SBWI founder Luke Barnett and instructor Noah Smith.
2023
Nov 20, 2023
Meet Luke Barnett →
Canvas Rebel: We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Luke Barnett a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Luke, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand? Read More
Winter, 2023
Society of Period Furniture Makers: Great Lakes Chapter News→
Pins & Tales: The Great Lakes chapter held its fall 2023 meeting on October 28 at the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian Michigan. SBWI was founded by Luke Barnett in 2017, and its certified programs serve students, hobbyists, and professionals with career programs, intensive courses, weekend classes and women’s and youth classes. Luke has graciously offered his facility as a frequent meeting location for our chapter.
June 30, 2023
11 to Graduate in Professional Wood Design Sunday from Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute→
Eleven woodworking students who have successfully completed their studies in professional wood design will receive their diplomas Sunday during a commencement ceremony in Adrian.
Students enrolled in the Wood Design program at the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian will graduate Sunday having displayed “a remarkable passion for woodworking, and their dedication and hard work have been evident throughout their time at the institute,” according to a news release from the SBWI.
May 25, 2023
Countdown to the Great Lakes Woodworking Festival→
Woodworking Network: The Great Lakes Woodworking Festival is right around the corner! The event is scheduled for Father's Day Weekend -- June 17 - 18, from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. each day.
Join us at the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian, Michigan, for a weekend filled with all things woodworking, inspired by the beauty and sustainability of our greatest natural resources - wood.
May 15, 2023
Ep. 4 Let's Talk Lenawee: Great Lakes Woodworking Festival→
Visit Lenawee: Dena Koehn and Jenna Salazar run through the list of activities and demonstrations planned for the 2023 Great Lakes Woodworking Festival in Adrian, MI.
March 1, 2023
Artistry in Trees: Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute Teaches Creativity and Craftmanship→
Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan: There is artistry in the lines coursing through a piece of timber. That artistry tells the story of growth and resilience, much like the stories of those who craft the wood into a work of art at the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian. Much like a tree, the institute, nestled among 100 year old oaks on the campus of PlaneWave technologies, can be said to bring life and sustainability. The institute teaches skills and trades to help students gain meaningful employment in the woodworking industry while simultaneously fostering artistry and individuality through the creations crafted.
2022
June 22, 2022
Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute Director Luke Barnett Graduates Leadership Program→
Daily Telegram: Luke Barnett, executive director of the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian, recently graduated from the state of Michigan's Rising Leaders program. Rising Leaders is a rigorous and highly interactive personal development initiative committed to the advancement of Michigan's arts leaders, according to a news release from the institute. The program is designed and facilitated by the Michigan Economic Development Corp., the Michigan Arts & Culture Council and Partners in Performance.
March 28, 2022
Finalists Selected for #YoungWoodPro Contest→
Woodworking Network: The future of design and craftsmanship in the woodworking industry is a bright one, judging by the entries to this year's Young Woodworking Professionals competition.
The contest recognizes outstanding projects and the young wood pros that create them. Entrants were between the ages of 18-35, (by year's end 2022) and are professional woodworkers.
2021
August 17, 2021
Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute Graduates Inaugural Class→
The Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute (SBWI) recently celebrated its inaugural graduating class of 2021 with seven students receiving a diploma in Furniture Making & Wood Design. Students Caleb Peper and Charlie Gragg, both of Michigan, were awarded the Golden Plane award for their outstanding achievements in craftsmanship and design.
July 22, 2021
Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute celebrates inaugural graduating class Friday in Adrian→
Daily Telegram: A monumental step forward was experienced Friday at the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian as seven students became the inaugural graduating class of the institute’s yearlong Furniture Making and Wood Design program.
July 20, 2021
40 Under 40 honored at Leadership Reception→
Honorees of the 2021 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 were recognized July 19 at a special Leadership Reception in Las Vegas. This year marks Woodworking Network’s sixth annual awarding of the 40 Under 40, which celebrates industry professionals who are making an impact at their jobs, in the community, and on the North American woodworking industry.
July 7, 2021
Slideshow: Meet the 2021 Wood Industry 40 Under 40→
Meet the honorees of the Wood Industry 40 Under 40 Class of 2021, announced by Woodworking Network. This year marks the sixth annual awarding of the 40 Under 40, which celebrates the next generation of industry professionals who are making an impact on wood products manufacturing in North America.
June 16, 2021
Trio of WCA Affiliates Receive 40 Under 40 Honors→
Woodwork Career Alliance: Three members of the wood products industry with close ties to the Woodwork Career Alliance of North America were among those honored in this year’s 40 Under 40 awards program presented by Woodworking Network.
February 21, 2021
Institute’s Furniture-Making Class Offers Its Students Needed Skills→
Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette: A student in the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute's furniture-making class can practically furnish their home with handmade pieces and the right time commitment.
But that barely scratches the surface of what the class offers.
The year-long class is in its third year. Open to beginners and experts alike, the class teaches students how to make a variety of pieces while also learning the trade of woodworking. Ages range from 16 to those in their 50s.
February 8, 2021
Adrian Furniture-Making Class Offers Students Needed Skills→
Washington Post: A student in the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute’s furniture-making class can practically furnish their home with handmade pieces with the right time commitment.
But that barely scratches the surface of what the class offers.
The year-long class is in its third year. Open to beginners and experts alike, the class teaches students how to make a variety of pieces while also learning the trade of woodworking. Ages range from 16 to those in their 50s.
2019
September, 2019
Stars, Stripes And Sawdust→
County Lines: Ever since the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute opened its doors in 2017, people have been coming out of the woodwork to enroll in their classes. Some students have traveled far distances from other countries (including Japan and Germany), while others are lucky enough to live just down the street from the facility’s location in Adrian, Michigan.
2018
December 10, 2018
Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute Branches Out→
Woodwork Career Alliance: This WCA EDUcation™ member is expanding its woodshop to accommodate more equipment and programs.
The Sam Beauford Woodwork Institute of Adrian, MI, truly offers something for everybody from organizing woodshop camps for the local Boys and Girls Club through training adults for woodworking careers.
June 16, 2018
Woodshop to Stay at Former Adrian Training School→
The Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute is not moving to Merrick Street.
Instead, it is planning to grow at its current location and with its new landlord, PlaneWave Instruments, a manufacturer of telescopes and mounts.
After acquiring the former Adrian Water Works building at 510 Merrick St. from the city of Adrian, Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute director Luke Barnett and his team of wood crafters were looking forward to setting up shop there in a larger space.
February 7, 2018
Boosting The Community Through Art→
Daily Telegram: From his shop in Adrian, Luke Barnett, 31, proudly talks about love of woodworking. In 2011, Barnett began selling Windsor chairs, and since 2013, has worked as a full-time chair maker.
He’s traveled the U.S., teaching his craft to other woodworkers.
“I’ve been able to do this for several years and I want others to have this opportunity,” he says.
January 2, 2018
Lenawee Faces: 01/02/18→
Daily Telegram: Luke Barnett demonstrates how to use a CDC “stinger” to a group of kids during a skilled trades camp for the Boys and Girls Club on Dec. 16 at the Sam Beauford Woodshop.
2017
November 15, 2017
Camp to Offer Kids a Chance to Build Something from Scratch→
Daily Telegram: The Boys and Girls Club of Lenawee has teamed up with two Adrian organizations for an upcoming day camp that’s free and unique.
September 26, 2017
Groups Help Make Heritage Park a Better Place→
Daily Telegram: The city of Adrian takes a lot of pride in Heritage Park.
It is not alone. So do the different clubs that use it on a weekly basis.
The evidence is in the work and time they put into it to make it a welcoming, fun place to visit.
“I think without the clubs, Heritage Park would not be the Heritage Park that we know and love,” Todd Brown, Adrian’s parks and engineering services director, said.
May/June 2017
Luke Barnett: Building Locally→
Lenawee Neighbors: The woodworker, who has had a chair featured in the Smithsonian, discovered his passion when he was just 8 years old. His grandmother, Wanda, would buy old victorian-style houses and fix them up. His uncles would work on the houses while Barnett would watch and learn. Eventually, they let him start working on the interior trim for the homes.
May 12, 2017
Woodshop Earns Certification from National Organization→
Daily Telegram: The Sam Beauford Woodshop in Adrian, if it wasn’t already, is becoming better recognized after recently being accredited by a national organization of woodworkers.
Woodshop director and instructor Luke Barnett said the shop is now a Woodwork Career Alliance of North America-accredited evaluation center. The woodshop is at the former Adrian Training School campus, which now is the Adrian Center for the Arts, 2300 N. Adrian Highway.
March 17, 2017
SBWI to host Great Lakes Woodworking Festival→
A new event is coming to Adrian this spring .
The Sam Beauford Woodshop at the Adrian Center for the Arts is hosting the first Great Lakes Woodworking Festival on Sunday, May 7.
Woodshop director Luke Barnett said the festival has two overall goals. One is to showcase all of the great woodworking talent in the region and the other is to connect artisans and buyers.
2016
September 9, 2016
Artisans of Michigan: Windsor Chairs→
Michigan Public Radio: We’ve been visiting craftsmen and women around Michigan for our series “Artisans of Michigan.” Today we visit Adrian, Michigan.
“I’m making some Windsor Chairs. Right now, I’m fitting the legs into the seat,” Luke Barnett explained. He is the owner of Barnett Windsor Chairs.
July 10, 2016
Adrian’s Master Craftsman Honored by Magazine→
Luke Barnett’s reputation for creating top-notch wood furniture continues to grow.
The Adrian man recently was named the “Top Windsor Furniture Craftsman” by Early American Life Magazine.
“This award makes me feel proud,” he said. “Proud of not only myself, but also proud for my community. It is amazing that artists from our community are receiving recognition on a national stage. We have so many artists that are doing work on a world class level. Amy Philps, Mike Thompson, Chameleon Studios and Kris Cravens, just to name a few. It’s almost as if Adrian is in the midst of a Renaissance.”
April 6, 2016
Adrian Poised to Receive New Community Wood Shop→
Luke Barnett and Michael Thompson think the former Adventure Center building on the Adrian Training School campus is an ideal place for a community wood shop.
“This is a perfect fit for our style and the classes we offer,” Barnett said Tuesday.
2015
October 1, 2015
Award-Winning Woodworking from PWM Readers→
Popular Woodworking: I announced the winners during the keynote session at Woodworking in America last Saturday, and the digital version of the November 2015 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine e-mailed late yesterday (check your in-box if you’re a susbcriber). So forthwith I give you the winners of the 2015 PWM Excellence Awards. Please join me in congratulating:
August 16, 2015
Adrian Chairmaker Crafts Wood, Teaches and Wins Awards→
Little, curled pieces of wood litter the painted hardwood floor in a home along Adrian’s Clinton Street, where one of Michigan’s most talented woodworkers makes his award-winning and functional art by hand.
February, 2015
Luke Barnett, Local Chair Maker, Presents During “The Way We Worked”→
The Hudson Carnegie District Library will host Luke Barnett, Barnett Windsor Chairs, on Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 3:00 PM. Barnett uses locally sourced raw materials and transforms them into heirloom chairs. He will share the history of the chairs he makes, show the tools of the trade, and how the chairs are constructed. This program is part of The Thompson House Museum’s “The Way We Worked” exhibit. There is no cost to attend the event at 205 S. Market St. in Hudson.
2014
November 10, 2014
Crafted by Hand; Luke Barnett has Received Attention for his Beautiful Windsor chairs→
Luke Barnett knew early in life he enjoyed working with wood. At the age of 13, he was helping other family members refurbish dilapidated Victorian-era homes his grandmother purchased to renovate. Today, the Adrian man’s passion is for one very specialized craft: making Windsor chairs.