Why “wildwater”?

The name WildWater comes from where I grew up, in upstate NY on the shores of Lake Ontario. The waters of Lake Ontario are known to be wild and unpredictable. There are numerous shipwrecks throughout the lake (including one right offshore of where I lived). I spent much of my youth on the beach, and it was where I first discovered my love of forging and woodworking.

The first time I ever “forged” metal was on the shore in a campfire I made. It was only a bit of scrap I tried to shape with a large rock, but it was enough for me to become enamored with the process.

My first experiences working with wood occurred at the lake too. I carved and built toy boats that could float and that my brothers and I could sail on the lake.