Fred Puksta

Designer/Craftsman Fred Puksta creates furniture for the worlds of both fine art and commercial design. He trained with renowned artist/sculptor Wendell Castle and upon graduation served as an artisan in Castle’s studio. A member of the New Hampshire Furniture Masters organization and the League of NH Craftsman, Puksta has fulfilled commissions for residential, commercial and public work. An eight-foot-tall sculptural clock at the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium in Concord was a public commission, and a very personal project for him. He was moved by Christa’s life and legacy, and was honored by the opportunity to create a piece in her honor. The participation in commercial product design, allows Puksta to work in all aspects of the design process, from concept to building prototypes to promotional marketing. Puksta says he constantly challenges himself to bring something new from the art world into his commercial designs and, not surprisingly, several of his lines have received honorable mentions and awards at the furniture capital of America in High Point, North Carolina, as well as having had successful designs in some of the country’s leading retailers such as Crate & Barrel. Recent cabinetry design was featured in Country Living Magazine’s “2004 House of the Year issue. Puksta values his engagement within the different worlds of commercial and artisan craft. It’s this cross-pollination that continually enhances his perspective on design, resulting in many form and functions.