Andy Sanchez

Andrew Gilbert Sánchez (February 25, 1950) of New Mexico, is a craftsmen, artist, furniture designer and maker.
As a studio furniture artist, he and his son, Aaron, were some of the first to begin using alligator juniper for furniture construction in 1997. They have had the honor of winning top western art awards in 2003 at the Western Design Conference in Cody, Wyoming, and in 2007, at the Cody High Style exhibit at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center as well as other awards at various art shows across the country. Andy has shown his furniture from Philadelphia to California. In 2008, his clientele expanded worldwide.
Early life
Andy was born to Ernest G. and Libby Sánchez, in Belen, New Mexico, a small town 30 miles south of Albuquerque. He is a 10th generation New Mexican, tracing his paternal line back to Spain, with Christopher Columbus in his ancestry.
Andy's father taught him the basics of woodworking when he was a child. Growing up in a family of 11, something always needed building. After high school he enrolled in New Mexico State University and studied forestry.During this time he became involved with an on-campus Christian ministry and discovered a new faith and a new purpose. After attending NMSU for two years he was drafted , and served in the Army. He was stationed in California as an Army Fire Fighter and also served overseas in Italy. When he left the service, in 1973, he met and married his wife, Cheryl. Their first child, Aaron, was born a year later, followed by three more sons and three daughters.
Woodworking
After a short career in auto-body work, Andy realized he preferred working with wood over metal. He began working in construction and soon advanced to finish-work. In 1986, Andy moved his family to Maryland where he began doing high-end finish-work. At this time, Andy's oldest son, Aaron(age13), began working with him as his assistant during the summers and on the weekends. On one project in particular, Andy worked with some of the best carpenters on the east coast. This project helped further develop his woodworking skills. He became interested in, and studied, the fine furniture and antiques which were in abundance in that part of the country. This suited his artistic nature and when he moved back to New Mexico in 1990, he began his own business designing and building furniture. In 2003 Aaron started working full time, and the business is now known as Andy and Aaron Furniture.
Since they lived in New Mexico, they began building traditional Southwest style pieces out of pine. Andy was greatly influenced by the culture he had grown up in. However, Andy was always experimenting and making things differently, trying out new techniques, new carvings or finishes. He did not like making the same thing twice, so in 1997 when a woodcutter brought an exciting new wood into his shop, Andy immediately saw the possibilities. The woodcutter had a long plank of New Mexican Alligator Juniper Juniperus deppeana that he felt was too nice to cut into firewood. Andy had only heard of this wood being used for fence posts, but that was about to change. His first creation was an eight foot table with chairs. This wood was full of character, with lots of knots and holes, beautiful grain and warm colors. Andy was delighted and inspired; he knew he would never again have to make the same thing twice. The unique characteristics of the wood influence how it will be used and where the inlays will be placed.
Signature Style
The Sanchez signature style is intricate, book-matched inlays of turquoise, marble, fossils, and other semi-precious stones. These inlays are carefully designed patterns or abstract shapes. They use book-matched pieces of wood, retaining the live edges, which adds a rustic accent to each piece. Finishing their pieces with oil and wax creates a natural and durable finish. In recent years they have begun working with silver, filling cracks or creating animal tracks trailing over the table tops. Each piece is signed with their double "A" logo.
"Inspiring The Spirit Within Man To Be In Awe Of God's Creation"
:::-Andy Sanchez

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