Steve Wolf

To make his way through a three dimensional world and its spatial relationships, Steve Wolf learned to pay special attention to the visual motion and tension between objects – An unusual observational skill that subtly plays into the clean lines and airy forms of his Mid-Century influenced furniture design. Steve honed his aesthetic eye while attending The School of The Art Institute of Chicago. He then spent 20 years working as an engineer, where he developed a passion for quality driven attention to detail.

“The constant thread throughout my life has been my love for making things. I “retired” from my Engineering Career to devote my full time efforts to designing and building furniture.” says Steve.

Steve now creates in his Indianapolis workshop, Wayward Home Furniture. His original designs are created in a small batch production process.
“Wayward” is defined as something which is unique, with a strong personality. You think of your home as being wayward, reflecting your unique personality.” says Steve.

The visual beauty and tactile qualities of native hardwoods are his material of choice; walnut, cherry, beech, ash and maple. Steve sources wood from local sawyers as well as retailers and mills. Steel is also found in all of Steve’s pieces, at times used discretely as a structural component, but often it is part of the visual language of the piece, with the smooth texture of the metal contrasting with the wood grain.

“While it may be true that hard work is its own reward, a little recognition is nice too. I applied because I was curious to see where my work stood, and I am thrilled that so many outstanding artists consider me as a peer. Says Steve. “Having the honor of being designated as an Indiana Artisan and taking advantage of the retail galleries is a great opportunity.” Steve adds. “Indiana is not a design backwater! ”