Nick Winter

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Nick Winter paddling in Vermont

For as long as he can remember Nick has had a desire to make beautiful things that last. Growing up in central Vermont his strongest subjects in school were art, history and recess. Having no “marketable” interests,  Nick enrolled at Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, graduating in 2009 with a BFA. in sculpture. He later discovered that all this made sense, as his great-grandfather had been a New York artist who worked in the studio of Louis Tiffany.

In 2011, Nick joined Handshouse Studio, a non-profit specializing in rebuilding lost objects, and discovered his love for historical craft and timber framing. Working with the Timber Framers Guild, Handshouse Studio travelled to Poland in a multi-year project to rebuild and paint a lost 17th century wooden synagogue using the techniques of the time. Their efforts are now a permanent exhibition at the Museum of the history of Polish Jews, Warsaw. Seeing the restoration of history almost lost, and the community that came together around rebuilding it was a life changing experience for Nick.

Nick continued work as a carpenter and woodworker, studying energy-efficient building and cabinet making. In 2019 he volunteered at a workshop in Costa Rica led by David Hooke and Shannon McIntyre. Shortly thereafter in 2020 he joined the TimberHomes crew. Nick enjoys the cooperative nature of TimberHomes and its goal of discovering how each member can best contribute to the home building process. Now he does what he’s always loved to do, and some days feels like he’s following in his ancestor’s footsteps, working in a shop full of artisans.

He currently lives in Montpelier with his wife Rachel and their daughter Kit.