From an article in the Morning Sentinel

By Paul Koenig pkoenig@centralmaine.com

MOUNT VERNON — After working full time for more than two years to restore a former Odd Fellows Hall, a Dutch woodworker opened his gallery to the public for the first time Saturday in the century-old building at the edge of Minnehonk Lake.

The small gallery space has several shelfs and tables, some with pictures of creatures carved into the wood, that Erik Groenhout built after completing his workshop in the theater of the Odd Fellows building on Pond Road.

“I’m not a designer that wants to make designs that are only pieces of art and the user can’t influence, use it. I want to make art that is usable for people,” Groenhout said. “Art for the sake of art is great, but it’s not for me. I like art that is integrated.”

The pieces currently in the gallery, Green’s Wood Art, are prototypes and not for sale. In the future, Groenhout, 56, will have more to sell and will be able to build custom pieces based on the examples in the gallery, but he hasn’t had enough time to build more yet. He makes his pieces out of local wood, such as ash, birch, oak and pine, and uses natural oils to finish them.

Fro the full article go here.