David Einwechter builds a business with colorful woodcraft and custom designs
Tall slabs of rough-cut wood—walnut, cherry, pine, and others—stand at attention along one side of Dogwood Carpentry in Clinton. They’ll be carted off by woodworkers for their own projects. Or David Einwechter, owner of the shop, will transform them into colorful charcuterie boards, custom furniture, and even stair treads.
A carpenter who previously worked on remodels and historic restorations in the Washington, D.C., area, Einwechter brought his skills to East Tennessee when his wife accepted a job at Y-12 in 2017. The following year he opened a retail shop in Clinton, where they live. In 2020, they bought a building on Main Street, remodeled it and opened space for merchandise from himself and about 20 other makers around the region.
Most of Einwechter’s pieces in the shop are charcuterie boards made from a variety of woods. He uses colorful epoxy resins to add interest and fill in inconsistencies in the wood, sometimes incorporating dried and pressed flowers into his designs. He finishes them with a hard wax oil. All his boards are food-grade and easy to maintain.
When he’s not in the shop, he’s probably in his home wood shop working on custom dining tables, side tables, and other pieces. He calls his designs modern rustic. Most of them have a live edge, meaning the tree’s bark remains part of the finished product. A member of Foothills Craft Guild and Tennessee Craft, Einwechter exhibits at regional craft shows, as well as others throughout Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina.
Einwechter began working with wood in his early teens. What started as projects for church and school evolved into full-time work after high school. “I like working with my hands,” he says. “And I’d rather be outside than in an office.” Now his work includes running a retail shop for the first time. “It’s a new experience. We’re very blessed,” he says of his family. “We run a Christian business, and we try to help the community, help others. And we want to help Clinton keep growing.”
To learn more about Einwechter’s work—and to follow along on his journey as an artist—visit his website at dogwoodcarpentry.com.