Lowell Jack Smith III
Lowell Jack Smith III ( LJ ) was born and raised in a small, rural town in Washington state. At the age of 4 he had found an intrigue in woodworking. Under the tutelage of his father and brother, he continued to hone his passion, starting his first small business at just 13. Success from that company, plus the inspiration of his Master Instructor and now longtime friend, Roy Nishiyori, inspired him to design and create a grand original piece. This original piece would ultimately take him three years and most of high school to complete. This handcrafted work of art would not only earn him the highest local honors, it earned him a title of National Woodworking Champion at the age of 18.
After graduating with a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Washington State University, he continued to nurture his skills and knowledge of the arts during a 29 year career in the audio business. Throughout his successful career, he created hundreds of the worlds finest executions in wood, such as intricate speaker box designs and enclosures.
The proud parent of two sets of twins, all now attending college, LJ has focus on his next chapter of creativity. Returning to the shop and his love for woodworking, his vision has evolved... specifically to freeform contemporary sculpting. Committed to the reuse of abandon and salvage materials, LJ’s one-of-a-kind creations have taken on the passionate descriptive name of “Refuse to Relics “. Each of these one-of-a-kind pieces is created with love, determination, and ultimate dedication to the arts. None of these works will ever be mass produced. All originals, each piece tells a unique
story from the artist that is translated to each viewer thru motion, energy, shadows, reflection, and its medium.
Proceeds from the sales of these fine sculpture’s fuels LJ’s ultimate goal, to teach the art and ultimate satisfaction of fine woodworking to today’s youth, with emphasis on those who are less fortunate and cannot specifically afford formalized training at a high-level.
He hopes you enjoy your treasures as much as he has enjoyed creating them. Now and forever, saving the world with fine contemporary sculptures, one piece at a time!