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Bill Herald grew up on West Mountain, spending time with his father
appreciating the Adirondacks and the natural world. It was his
father who sparked a creative interest in Bill by teaching him how to
build and use tools. This naturally evolved into Rustic by Herald, a
business that he now he shares with his two sons, Craig and
Luke. Craig initiated the interest in handmade furniture while he was
working at the Bear Cupboard in Warrensburg. Bill helped his son
get started on one project, then Luke became involved and soon they
were creating benches, chairs, tables, lamps, coat racks, and
anything else a client requested.
Most of the material used comes from the Heralds' 14 acres on West
Mountain. Bill enjoys working with found wood, he says it allows
freedom in the design of the piece. The inventions of Bill and
his sons require no hardware. All the joints are mortise and
tenon and wood peg, giving the work a solid, smooth look.
The Heralds first began selling their work at LARAC's 2001
June Festival. Not knowing what to expect, they were pleasantly
surprised at the response and began looking for additional selling
opportunities. The Heralds also participated in the LARAC 2001 Fall
Festival and the Soroptimist Spring Blossom Festival and Craft show of
2002. They plan on doing more arts and crafts shows this year
but look to retirement for a more full-time approach.
Although Bill may be a newcomer to this sort of work, his quality
is anything but novice. Bill recently participated in On Your
Own Time, a competition administered by the North Country Arts Center,
featuring work from employees of different companies in the area.
Bill won First Place in Creative Crafts among the employees at KADANT
AES. These first place winners then competed in a citywide
competition at NCACs City Hall Gallery, and Bill won third place.
The Heralds accept commissions and custom orders. Showroom hours are by
appointment, evenings, and weekends. Call 518-743-9248 or email
dherald@capital.net. | 
