Gabe Sutton: Maine Woodworker
- Brick + Tides
- Oct 8
- 6 min read
In a sunlit workshop in Biddeford, Maine, the smell of oak, pine and spruce lingers in the air while the steady hum of tools carries through the walls. Among the stacks of boards, tools and notes, southern Maine furniture maker Gabe Sutton is at work on another one-of-a-kind piece. Tall, calm, and kind, Sutton has built a career — and a life — around woodworking.
Arriving in Maine
Sutton never set out to make Maine his permanent home. “Maine. Well, I don’t know. I don’t know why I’m here,” he says, laughing. “I came here by accident with an ex-partner, and I stayed because it’s a beautiful place.”
Over time, though, it became clear he had found what he needed. “It was the only place I could justify moving to on the East Coast that had the ocean combined with the cost of living, combined with good people and, you know, a lot of beautiful outdoor activities and good food.”
For someone who spends much of his life shaping wood, the coastline is equally important. Surfing gives him balance, grounding his life in a rhythm between the shop and the sea.
A Family Line in Wood
Woodworking, Sutton explains, has always been part of his bloodline. “My great-great-grandfather, Finley Capel Keith, was a gunsmith and furniture maker and technically an inventor,” he says. “One of his guns hung over the fireplace in my grandparents’ house. From the time I was little, I was always aware that, you know, he made that.”
His grandfather was a hobby woodworker, and his father worked as a cabinetmaker when Sutton was young. “So I think just being in a family where you have a strong reverence for it, and it’s talked about and stories are shared, I just stored a lot of it away in my subconscious over the years. And then when I discovered woodworking on my own, everything kind of clicked.”
Ohio Roots and a North Carolina Turning Point
The path to woodworking wasn’t direct. In 1997, Sutton was mowing grass in Kent, Ohio, and looking for change. “I was 20, and I moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, with two friends. Our landlord said, well, you know, how are you going to pay me? What do you do for work? I can help line up something for you. And I said, I’ll do anything.”
That led him to hardwood flooring. “I knew nothing about woodworking. I didn’t know anything about running machines. I couldn’t even swing a hammer. I couldn’t even read a tape measure. So I just showed up for work, and it worked out.”
The crew was patient, teaching him the basics and giving him a sense of belonging. Later, back in Kent, a conversation with his father set him on course. “One random day, my dad asked me what I wanted to do with my life. And I said, I think I want to build stuff out of wood. So he helped me put together a shop. And here I am, 27 years later.”
By 2000, small jobs trickled in, and Sutton was building furniture full-time.
Building One-of-a-Kind
Today, his work remains deeply personal. “Everything I make is one-of-a-kind — not production oriented. That’s not to say that I won’t build the same piece twice, but I don’t build volume.”
Over 25 years, his pieces have traveled from Maine to California. “I’ve shipped furniture to not every state, but quite a few — down south, out west, Midwest. I have a lot of clients in New York, a few in California, shipped pieces to Florida, Oklahoma, Texas.”
One standout project was a lake house commission. “I have one client that commissioned me to do 24 pieces for a lake house that they built. That was a really fun project. They gave me great creative freedom. They’ve been a client that I’ve loved working with over the years.”
Collaboration and Craft
Sutton has never built in isolation. Early on, he worked with a stained glass artist, and in recent years he’s partnered with upholsterers and painters. A favorite project was with artist Hannah Hirsch, who hand-painted leather for a sling chair while Sutton built the frame. “I think that’s kind of a perfect example of functional art. Something that can be sat in, something that can be used, but it’s also unique and beautiful.”
Collaboration, for him, is as much about people as it is about the piece. “It also helps get me out of my own head, helps get me out of my own shop, and allows me to be with other people.”
Pricing, Philosophy, and Value
When asked about pricing, Sutton is candid. “Everything’s unique, everything’s different. My pricing is just based on material and labor costs, but then there is the fact that something is unique and it’s a piece of art.”
He sees value not just in hours worked but in the lifetime of the piece. “If you buy something that was handmade by a local craftsman, craftswoman, that’s going to last a lifetime, then you’ve only spent money on it once. And then it also comes with a guarantee because you’re buying it from someone local.”
At the same time, he tries to keep his work accessible. “I like the idea of people, average people, young couples starting out, going into a home and going, okay, we have this budget for furniture. Anything I can do to keep people away from commercialism and going to a box store, I’m going to try to do it.”
Surfing, Tattoos, and Lifestyle
For Sutton, life is about balance. Surfing offers both physical release and mental clarity. “Some good friends got me into surfing when I moved to Maine. It’s been a great balance to my woodworking, which was something I needed very much.”
He even tried shaping surfboards himself. “I did shape a couple boards. They ride like shit. They’re terrible,” he says with a grin. “But if I get to my feet and get down a wave, I’m having a good day. I don’t do it for that. I do it for just the fitness of it, and it’s just a great activity for mental health and physical health.”
His body carries reminders of his devotion to craft. On the back of his right leg is a tattoo of a Japanese chisel through a rose. “It just represents woodworking and just my love affair with working with wood,” he explains.
And he keeps his lifestyle simple. “I live on a budget. It’s all about the lifestyle. I can surf when I want, and I have plenty of free time.”
Maine Favorites
When he steps away from the shop, Sutton embraces Maine’s food and community. “Favorite restaurant? Black Birch in Kittery, hands down. Second favorite, Magnus on Water — love those guys. Right now they’re doing some great food combined with amazing cocktails. The owner, Jules, is wonderful, with such a great crew.”
For beer, he turns to Biddeford’s own. “Love Banded Brewing, always loved Banded. Favorite beer right now? Sacred Profane. It’s probably my favorite beer.”
In Portland, his list keeps growing: Izakaya Minato (“Phenomenal”), Empire (“Great Chinese food”), and Friends & Family (“You want good pizza, go to Friends & Family, blow your mind”).
Closer to home, summertime means Goldthwaite's in Biddeford Pool. “Onion rings — best onion rings in Maine. Unreal. Great place, very fun summer hang. So old school, such a quaint little old school Maine spot. Love those guys.”
For nature, camping at Hermit Island is at the top. “It’ll blow your mind,” he says. “Beautiful place. It’s only an hour and a half drive. It’s great.”
A Career of Recognition
Over the years, Sutton has earned respect not just from clients but from peers. A highlight came in 2012 when he was invited as a guest artist with the New Hampshire Furniture Masters. “It was a big deal to sit around a table with a group of guys that I admired and had them, you know, just have my work be well received.” His piece sold at auction through the Currier Museum of Art, marking a milestone in his career.
The Maker’s Life
For Sutton, success isn’t about scale or wealth. It’s about freedom, trust, and craft. “Nine times out of ten, I’m doing pieces that I really want to build. And not only do I want to build, but are pieces that I would want to own as well. So yeah, I’ve been very lucky.”
Asked if he has any parting words, he smiles. “If you want good food, go to Magnus on Water in Biddeford, Maine.”
Visit Gabe online. Maine Furniture Maker
Follow Gabe on Instagram
BRICK+TIDES is a weekly digital magazine based in York County, Maine. We share stories about local businesses, people, and places that make Southern Maine special. Explore more and subscribe,
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