Fire Claims an Artist's Shop

Stephen Scott, associate editor

9 users recommend

Jon Brooks' studio and shop near New Boston, NH., before the fire.

Courtesy Jon Brooks

The blaze started in the early morning hours of Jan. 18. In addition to Brooks' tools and lumber, the fire destroyed at least 10 finished pieces.

Courtesy Jon Brooks

The aftermath. Brooks says he is eager to rebuild, but unsure how much insurance will cover.

Courtesy Jon Brooks

Peony Chair, a recent piece by Brooks. Much of his work uses found branches and other natural forms.

Courtesy Jon Brooks

Jon Brooks' studio and shop near New Boston, NH., before the fire.

Photo: Courtesy Jon Brooks

Add Comment
Print

The place where Jon Brooks used to work was no ordinary wood shop.

Brooks is a furniture maker and sculptor - often at the same time. And when he built the studio and shop in the woods behind his New Hampshire home, the artist came to the jobsite as well. The building, with its curved walls, wide eaves and slouch-hat roof, looked like a forest castle in a fairy tale. Photos on his website make it clear that the space - like the house next to it - was alive with imagination. 

"I had my own formulas and my own way of doing things," Brooks said this week. "I knew I didn't want to live or work in a box."

Now he's faced with having to do it all over again, or try at least. Some time before dawn on Jan. 18, the shop caught fire and burned to the ground. The blaze also destroyed all of Brooks' tools and lumber, and several works in progress.

Fire officials haven't determined a cause, but have told Brooks they think heavy snow may have loosened electrical lines coming into the shop. That could have brought wet snow into contact with bare wire, throwing sparks that ignited the fire. 

Regardless, for the first time since 1972, Brooks is without a place to work. And the need to quickly put a new roof over his art may trump the desire for a unique space.

"I could spend another ten years - or more - just building," Brooks said, "but I have too much work that I want to get done." It's unclear how much the insurance will cover - if any.

In the meantime, an online fundraiser is underway at Brooks' website.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For more on fire prevention in your shop read Fire Safety in the Shop, from issue #174 of Fine Woodworking magazine, for tips and checklists on how to be prepared.

Smart Workshop Solutions
by Paul Anthony Building Workstations, Jigs, and Accessories to Improve Your Shop $19.95 more info...

Add Comment Print

10 Ways to Avoid Shop Fires

Back to List

Comments (16)

Joan Tski writes: My heart goes out to you and your family; I hoe time can ease the saddness and loss you are feeling at this time,
JTschep in PA
Posted: 10:53 pm on February 10th

Joan Tski writes: I am sickened at the callous comments from a few of the readers; no ammount of money or time can ever replace the loss of your beloved tools to a truly dedicated craftsman. YI'll donate out of the goodness of my heart as I did for Haiti. Dig deep and put your money where your mouth is instead of giving this guy more grief than he needs at this time. Whre's your sense of compassion? We had a house fire 15 years ago and lost precious family mememtos that will never, ever be replaced; the loss stays with you for a long, long time. Walk a week in his shoes and see how you feel. Enough said.
Posted: 10:52 pm on February 10th

SVEEDE writes: My heart is heavy for your loss & I'll be praying for you both that God will provide you with the patience, will power, stamina & strength to pick up the pieces & memories & go forward to make your new shop even better than the old. Also for God to provide the means to accomplish this for you both.
SVEEDE
Posted: 6:18 am on February 10th

mvflaim writes: There's nothing wrong for asking for help when you're down on your luck and lost everything. There will alwsays be people who believe there is a more worthy cause to donate your money but in the end, it's your money, donate it wherever you want. I wish Jon Brooks the best!
Posted: 8:09 pm on February 3rd

dirkfaegre writes: To all those who have "better ideas" about where to donate monies: Please consider writing back after *your* shop has burned to the ground with all your paperwork, projects, pictures and tools gone. Completely gone. Nothing left but ashes. Then tell us how it feels to read others lectures on "how you should feel".
Good grief people ... one of the most emotional experiences anyone can have is a total-loss fire. The last thing in the world you'll need is a bunch of Monday morning quarterbacks, sitting in their nice warm shops, blogging away with great expertise, about you and those of us who feel a need to help you, about how you "should be". Cork it!
Posted: 11:36 am on February 3rd

Meesto writes: I'm somewhat disheartened by the comments I have read here. Jon is my godfather and as family I have a very good idea of what his situation is.

1. He had insurance, but his insurance company has not been very forthcoming and we are not certain what, if anything they are going to cover.

2. Jon is a very distinguished artist and has been fortunate in having his work gain visibility in the art world. Previous grants and fellowships did not make him rich and are not an indication of his means with which to recover from a tragedy like the fire of January 18th. Small artist's grants can help pay for essential items like taxes and bills, and are not a path to riches.

3. All of Jon's records were in his studio office and the degree of loss is huge. Even simple things like his address book are gone - it's all gone and there is nothing dishonorable in asking for help.

Just because he is a famous artist doesn't mean that he is rich.

Respectfully,
Chris Mills
Posted: 5:31 am on February 3rd

GEide writes: Hi All, As promised, here's more safety info. Bruce Ryden's article is free for non members here:
http://www.finewoodworking.com/Workshop/WorkshopArticle.aspx?id=33276

Posted: 5:51 pm on February 2nd

bobmarlon writes: I recently had a fire it was a real bummer I lost 1 piece, a coffee table that I had worked really hard on. After the fire though I had sort of a zen Buddhist experience I felt this enormous weight lifted off my shoulders I was free from all my stuff and my apartment and was forced to start fresh.
Posted: 3:10 pm on February 2nd

BStev writes: At first I was surprised to read some of the comments below but then I read the resume page on Jons website. With numerous Fellowship Grants I would tend to think there would be enough cash to have adequate and proper insurance for just this type of unfortunate event. As a struggling maker myself I somehow come up with enough money every month to pay my insurance bills and I do it without grants, museum purchases and dozens of gallery showings to my name. I feel for his loss but agree that soliciting donations seems a bit lacking in tack for someone so well established as an artist.
Bob
Posted: 9:32 pm on February 1st

BRANHAM writes: I FIND IT LAUGHABLE THAT AN ARTIST OF MR. BROOKS STATURE IS SOLICITING MONEY. MOST OF US NON ARTISTS STRUGGLE TO PURCHASE A NEW CHISEL.
I AGREE WITH A PREVIOUS BLOGGER THAT THERE IS REAL NEED FROM FAMILIES STRUGGLING TO EAT. THIS HARD ECONOMY HAS NOT BEEN AROUND FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS FOR MR. BROOKS AS EVIDENCED BY HIS WEB SITE CREDITS. I DON'T FAULT ANYONE FOR DONATING MONEY TO WHOMEVER THEY LIKE. PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR NAME IN CASE I HAVE A FIRE AT MY HOUSE. INSURANCE IS A NECESSARY EVIL MR BROOKS.
WILLIAM
Posted: 8:35 am on January 31st

Grandgallo writes: Hello Mr. Brooks,

Don't despair! The fire at your shop may be a blessing in disguise... a chance to start new. I hope insurance will cover your lost.

There was a fire at our house in 1996, a fire that was out of my control but it was a real blessing. Our house was completely renovated!
Posted: 11:50 pm on January 30th

jeffsech writes: I'll thank everyone to not lecture me upon whom I can or cannot donate to. I just sent Jon a small contribution--just because.
Posted: 8:18 pm on January 30th

Joeyd writes: Why do we assume that they are looking for donations just because they posted pictures of a fire? At the very least its a bitter wake up call that this can happen to anyone with a work shop!
Posted: 1:51 pm on January 30th

GEide writes: Ouch countrychairman. It does sound harsh. We didn't put this up to solicit donations, rather to inform the community about this well-known woodworker's loss. There is no attempt, of course, to compare tragedies to tragedies. I added a link to a fire safety article (I’ll try to get a free version up later for non members too), but the event also serves as a reminder of fire dangers in the woodshop. Just last year we learned that furniture maker Mark Levin lost his shop to fire as well, in addition to nine finished pieces: http://www.finewoodworking.com//item/6871/furniture-makers-shop-destroyed-by-fire
Posted: 1:40 pm on January 29th

countrychairman writes: i understand loss. donate i don't think so. send your money to free people of poverty and natural disaster. haiti and other world and issues in the US are more inportant then creating product for people with more money than brains.

sorry it sounds harsh--let's evaluate who we are!
Posted: 1:08 pm on January 29th

wmalcolmg writes: I can't imagine the feeling and sense of loss. The monetary loss is enough but to loose all of your time and effort,too much to consider. I had a small fire in my shop recently, but I caught it in time! The cause was a short in a magnetic switch to my thickness planer. The shop was full of soot, smoke and moisture. Remediation helped some (6 people for two days wiping) but the ozone generator to relieve the terrible smell only rusted all of the bare iron surfaces(table tops chisels, clamps, etc.) Good luck on resuming your work Malcolm G
Posted: 9:43 am on January 29th

You must be logged in to post comments. Click here to login.