Artist's Biography
Brad has been working with wood since he was a boy learning alongside his dad in his workshop as they carved duck decoys, refinished furniture, repaired boats, cars, trucks and more. His penchant for mechanical creations is often complexly built within his pieces yet discovered outwardly at the surprise and delight of many spectators. Because of his enchantment of tangible creativity, he took a strong interest in wood and metal shop in secondary school and early on studied under furniture maker and teacher, Michael Cooper. A full-time furniture maker and wood carver since 1986, Brad has persistently sought a deeper understanding of Old World woodworking techniques and the characteristics of many wood species. Additionally, he has enriched his knowledge of traditional metal and iron fashioning skills in the manner of respected craftsmen of yesteryear. His work is durable and well composed, blending craftsmanship, design and proportion.
Brad is recognized for his intricate relief carvings, hand tooled surfaces, rough sawn surfaces, and striking combinations of hardwoods. Also noteworthy is his remarkable talent to integrate antique and long-standing resources into his work. He creates entertaining furnishings that contain distinctive features such as dioramas, animatronics, re-invented vintage arcade games, mechanical features, secret compartments, and more. His design concepts are considered timeless.
As a distinguished woodworking artist, Greenwood is currently represented in these well-regarded galleries – Trailside Gallery, Jackson, WY, Claggett/Rey Gallery, Edwards, CO, Mountain Trails Gallery Bozeman, MT, By Western Hands, Cody, WY and Buffalo Collection, Scottsdale, AZ.
He has been represented in Trailside Galleries, Jackson, WY, for close to twenty-five years, and past representation involves Tierney Fine Art, Bozeman, MT, Montgomery Lee Gallery, Park City, UT, and Martin-Harris Gallery, Jackson, WY. He started his career in 1986 and was first represented at the San Francisco Design Center through the mid-90’s, and afterward enjoyed representation at the Seattle and Denver Design Centers until he gained rising recognition at major galleries and museums throughout the country.
His work has been accepted for exhibition by invitation in museums such as the National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, WY, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, WY, and the Adirondack Museum, Blue Mountain Lake, NY.
The recipient of various awards, Brad was honored to accept two awards from By Western Hands Gallery in Cody, WY – the coveted “2022 Best of Show Furniture, and 2022 People’s Choice”. The Western Design Conference presented him with the “2010 Best of Show Award” overall, and in past years he was acknowledged with the “Exhibitors’ Choice Award”, “Best Woodworking Award”, and “Western Spirit Award”. In 2008 the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake, NY, recognized him with the esteemed “Makers’ Choice Award”. He has been invited to participate in the Buffalo Bill Historical Center’s Cody High Style Show for many years and was formally noted as a furniture maker on the forefront – “an artist who continually brings western design to a new level”.
Greenwood‘s studio is in a barn on his property in Paradise Valley, MT, where he lives with his wife and longtime business partner, Lorraine. They have four wonderful adult sons who are artists and entrepreneurs.