Anthony Wishard has a passion for creating. He grew up in the rural heart of Amish country, Pennsylvania. Those roots instilled in him a passion for nature and using the resources around you to make what you need. The Amish community is known and revered for making quality wooden furniture, and witnessing their skills up close is what inspired him to become a woodworker.

While Wishard always had a passion for creating, he got sidetracked along the way, earning a Bachelor’s degree in chemistry before relocating to pursue his Doctorate in New Orleans. It was during his time as a graduate student that he built his first dining room table with a single saw and some screws. The effort was demanding, the result was lacking, and the passion became extinguished. By fortune, Wishard began using a MakerSpace to aid in his graduate work - laser cutters, 3D printers, graphic design, you name it. The passion he had for creating was reignited.

Having rediscovered his passion and growing disenchanted with chemistry, Wishard chose to pursue a career, first as a carpenter building homes, and now as a woodworker for a furniture and design company. He founded WoodWorking Chemist in 2020.