Shadowhill has been working in homes and businesses in Dayton, Cincinnati and the Miami Valley for 20 years. Shadowhill is driven by the craftsmanship of Richard Wallis, an artisan with 24 years of experience, with a family tradition of woodworking that dates to 1859 when his German ancestors settled in the walked from Maryland, an actual Journeyman, has been passed from generation to generation. His grandfather, who over the course of his life owned a flower farm and as a semi-pro golfer was a club pro who also was a course designer, once made a set of golf clubs and a display cabinet to house them that was placed in the White House for president Warren Harding. Richard began accumulating experience after completing six years of active service in the U.S.Navy. He began working with wood professionally,continuing an interest that began as a hobby in the foothills outside of Santa Cruz, California. Moving back to Dayton in 1986 he worked various jobs before beginning a six and a half year stint at Taylor Brothers Architectural Antiques. Working under the direction of Glen Taylor he gained an in depth knowledge of modern as well as turn of the century woodworking techniques as Dayton's renovation of historical districts reached it's peak. Taylor Brothers, which soon became 3rd Street Workshop, has also done a large amount of work in some of the regions premiere homes including 4 Homearamas, Tara Falls West and some of the first, as well as current, developments in the Springboro region. Shadowhill opened it's doors in 1996. Having gone from practicing a craft in a spare room at home we are now operating in a facility of 6,000 square feet in the historic Linden-Davis building. Though we began with a solid background in custom woodwork we are constantly re-evaluating our work and looking towards improving our skills and capabilities. Currently we are working to improve our finish work and making our pieces look naturally aged. As we have developed, from craftsmen to artisan, we have also honed our design skills as well. We have learned from mistakes in design from subcontracting and observing projects performed by other shops. |