In My Studio: Lloyd Brooke Anderson, Singer Turned Woodworker, Kindles His Passion In Kerikeri

Lloyd Brooke Anderson discovered a love for woodworking while watching his dad and grandfather handcrafting pieces in their backyard sheds while he was growing up.

Being immersed in the power of crafting something from nothing would become his inspiration for a life of creativity. Initially, he channelled his passion into songwriting, a journey that took him from Auckland to Australia as he carved out a living in the music business.

While in Melbourne, he rekindled his passion for woodworking. In his spare time, he’d craft bespoke custom furniture for himself, friends and family in his own backyard shed.

In 2020, after 13 years in Australia, Lloyd returned to New Zealand and settled in Kerikeri, Northland, with his wife, Vanessa, and their three children. The move home coincided with his switch from songwriter to full-time furniture maker.

What is it about your work that gets you excited?

Woodworking is a multi-faceted adventure — I love this. It uses everything I have to offer, mentally, physically and spiritually. At the end of the day, I lie in bed to plan the next day and I enjoy this momentum. The deeper I get, the bigger the challenge.

What’s your studio like?

The heart of the setup is a 6m x 9m workshop at home. The furniture is made in the workshop, then transferred to another smaller, climate-controlled garage where all the finishing takes place. The buildings aren’t flash but I like to keep my overheads as low as possible, so there is less pressure to churn pieces out and more room for experimentation and development. I spend my days traipsing between these three locations: workshop, finishing room and home. It’s actually a great way to live.

At the bottom of the property is a river where the kids and I swim in the hotter months. It’s a special place to decompress and think about furniture processes and design. I’m down at that river most days, it has taught me many things.

What does your making process involve?

Almost all my furniture is made-to-order. The best client briefs are open to interpretation and allow for an appreciation of the craft. When I get this feeling from a client, I’m inspired to see where my skills and knowledge of the craft can take us. I take pride in understanding what the client is hoping to achieve. Throughout the build, experimentation continues. I try to keep the design process dynamic to the very end. It’s exciting and scary all at the same time. In a previous life, I was a songwriter. I’m searching for the same feeling you get when you write a worthy piece of music. Often this means simplifying an aspect of a piece to achieve a little more harmony.

What was the biggest hurdle you had to overcome?

The transition from performing and teaching music to a completely new field. If I was younger I might have considered an apprenticeship. It was, and still is, a balancing act between craft, business, research, development and family. Many years on, I’m still overcoming hurdles, they have just changed shape.

Did you ever seriously consider giving up?

Often, throughout the journey, particularly in trying times. Deep down I know I can’t stop. Fine furniture-making is a tough gig but I feel very grateful to be able to craft a life for myself and my family which has quality as the end goal.

What inspired your change of direction?

When I was living in Melbourne I had a guitar amp custom-made for me. I visited the maker at his home in the countryside. His property was flanked by a gravel road and a little stream. It was a place where quality was pursued on no one else’s terms, with all superfluous distractions removed. Although furniture-making hadn’t entered my mind at that time, I knew this was how I wanted to live. This inspiration has stayed with me throughout the years.

Evan Dunstone from Dunstone Design in Canberra. He has been woodworking for decades and is one of Australasia’s leading fine furniture experts. As well as the practical aspects of furniture-making, Evan also shared his ideas on how to run a business in furniture-making. Evan has, and continues to have, a profound impact on my journey, for which I am extremely grateful.

Any tips for other creatives wanting to launch their own business?

Find the experts in your chosen field. Call them up and talk with them. If they have time, keep in contact and ask them lots of questions. The temptation is to jump on the internet to get started. This is good but don’t neglect the elders in your field as there is no substitute for experience. Be patient and just keep plodding along. Most crafts pursued are a long game, and that is a good thing.

What self-care strategies do you have in your life?

I do a lot of walking. I walk to the river, to the waterfall, around the streets, to the top of the hill. Sometimes I meditate in the mornings. It’s push and pull, this internal life that is never constant in mood or routine. I enjoy surfing at my local beach, Matauri Bay. Running is something I’ve recently taken up. It’s also a great place to think and unthink, with the added advantage of moving slightly faster than walking.

What gives you creative satisfaction?

I continue to be inspired and amazed by timber as a material. I love looking at a pack of rough-sawn timber and imagining the objects it will be transformed into.

Junctions and edges interest me, including those in nature. Where the river meets the sea, the forest meets the clearing, the bee meets the flower. This is where the action happens, I want to be there when it does.

Previously on In My Studio: Katrina Hobbs’ textiles and homewares are grounded in nature