We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Devon Johnson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Devon below.

Devon, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I got into woodworking as a child because of my father. He was always using tools regardless of the craft. He worked on everything from his car and motorcycle, to wood creation, to home improvement projects. I stated as his helper holding things and handing him things, but he saw the spark in me and started letting me help in a more hands on way. I went from watching him work on the car while holding the light, to him holding the light and showing me how to do an oil change. I went from handing him fresh sandpaper, to him showing me how to sand with the grain and giving me the chance to create my own project. I have loved tools ever since. I love getting my hands dirty and feeling the accomplishment of finishing a drawn out project. It’s been a decade since he passed and I wanted to honor him when I started my woodworking company so I named it after him. Dick’s Wood. His name was Richard but he never went by it. He always preferred people call him Dick. And yes… he got relentless teasing from me as a teenager. Because of the fire he lit inside of me and the attention to detail he always had, I pride myself on quality work. I’m not the typical, easy to hire, fast creator. I take my time to make sure every detail is as perfect as it can be. I have done jobs for people that prefer to cut corners or are willing to sacrifice quality for speed. I despise those jobs and refuse them now. I would rather be known for quality than how much I can produce how fast. Yes, taking an extra week to make sure everything is sanded to a higher grit, or taking an extra ten hours to make sure tile is perfectly level and flush may seem silly to some, but my products will stand the test of time as a result. I’ve grown from focusing on just wood products to a full craftsman. I can create something as big as a double trundle bunk bed that sleeps six, to a small minimalist necklace and earring set. I do full remodels tearing down walls and creating beautiful living spaces. I can also do refurbishments on existing furniture and I’m currently working on a side table set from world war two.
What sets me apart from others is not just the fact that I am a one stop shop for any type of craftsmanship, but I prefer custom orders, and I take my time to make sure it’s perfect. I stick with any quote I give, even if my time goes over the anticipated work hours. I once did a sign that was two feet wide and three feet tall with a quote of $500. It ended up taking a lot longer than I thought it would because a tool broke on me, and I had to do a lot of the work by hand instead. It ended up taking me 94 hours to finish the piece. Even using hand tools instead of power tools I made sure my quality was unmatched and that the client got exactly what she wanted. Extra hours mean nothing to me other than quality and I’ll never charge more than my quoted price.
I think the piece I’m most proud of wood wise would be my line of floating shelves. The mounting is 100% hidden with no hardware visible whatsoever. They can have anything painted or engraved on them, making them totally customizable for any type of aesthetic preference. As an all around craftsman i’m most proud of a build I did for Lowes. I created a kitchen display with full cabinets, tile back splash, and handmade butcher block counter top which ended up taking about a month because of a material shortage.
The main thing I want people to know about me and my work is that I strive for quality, kindness, and customization. If something arises that causes me to take more time on a project than expected you won’t be charged any extra. I love custom jobs and enjoy bringing someone else’s vision to light. I will work with any client and any project as long as the piece I create is not intended or used for a hateful purpose. And even though I may look strange or intimidating with crazy hair, tattoos, and piercings, I actually am a professional.

Have you ever had to pivot?

When I first became homeless my entire life pivoted. I had to figure out how to live on the fringes of society and still survive. Luckily I still had work, but it became so much harder to eat with nowhere to cook or a fridge to keep things cold. After hitchhiking across the country to a new job I was able to make enough for a conversion van so I finally had a roof over my head. I traveled in that van for years and made it incredibly comfortable with solar panels, camper cooker, mini fridge, small T.V., and small bed. It made life a little easier to handle, but when I finally settled down in Atlanta I was able to ditch the van and have not only a real place to live, but also a family of my own.

How’d you meet your business partner?

I met Jonathan in high school. He was my first kiss and first boyfriend when I was sixteen. We went to high school together for a year. He was a senior and I was a junior when we met. We dated for a little but I had to move away the next year. While passing through Georgia I decided to swing by and say hi. I am now his wife and step mom to his two kids. He helps me with design ideas and as a tester for new products. Plus if I ever need metal work done he is my go to.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Dickswood72
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066815256150