Meet Your Instructor Norman Pirollo

My furniture-making journey began at an early age while working in my father's small shop. Later, I pursued a lengthy hi-tech career. Over time, I became disillusioned with hi-tech and sought new challenges. Seeking a creative outlet, I immersed myself into woodworking. Formal cabinetmaking studies led to a series of classes at a renown furniture making school. This fulfilled my passion for creating and later designing furniture. 

I have since launched businesses revolving around unique furniture designs. An appreciation and embrace of hand tool woodworking followed. Along the way, I authored several woodworking books and fulfilled a role of woodworking educator. Today, I design + make furniture while developing new woodworking techniques and processes. I enjoy sharing my woodworking knowledge through my books and online courses.

My background

A little about myself, my education and  progression to furniture designer + maker. The evolution to a role of woodworking educator.
Learn woodworking with our structured approach. Learn the fundamentals. Benefit from my extensive furniture making expertise. Learn to use hand tools in your woodworking. Learn the fine points of using hand tools in your work. Understand the tools to use in various woodworking applications.
Some techniques and processes described in WoodSkills courses. Learn to make jigs to speed up your woodworking. Introduce accuracy and repeatability in your work.

My furniture and wood art are featured in books and magazines and have won awards both in furniture and art shows. The unique, studio furniture which I design and create can be seen at Pirollo Design.  A selection of books and magazines where my furniture, work methods and philosophy are featured:

The Furniture Society (Art of Balance, Apr 2024)
Carleton Univ. Industrial Design (Guest Lecturer)
Quiet Woodworking (New Art Press)
Hand Tool Woodworking (New Art Press)
Start Woodworking (New Art Press)
Craftisian Interview (Norman Pirollo)
HackSpace Magazine: Make With Wood April 2020
Woodworking: From Design To Making
Woodworking With Hand Tools (Taunton Press)
WOODSKILLS Issue 01
WOODSKILLS Issue 02
Can. Woodworking magazine 2015
Our Homes magazine  Fall 2014
IDS15 (Studio North)
IDS14 (Studio North)
NICHE Magazine Winter 2013
Fine Woodworking magazine - 4 Bench Jigs for Handplanes
Woodwork magazine
Wood Art Today 2 (Schiffer Books)
500 Cabinets (Lark Books)
Studio Furniture: Today's Leading Woodworkers (Schiffer)
Fine Woodworking Shopmade Jigs
2012 CDN. Interiors Design Guide
Ottawa Life magazine
Panoram Italia magazine
Our Homes magazine  Fall 2010
Craft Journal
Woodworker's Journal (2006)