About Us
Welcome!
Welcome to Amherst WoodWorks! We are Rob and Mary and we are the owners of Amherst WoodWorks. We are so glad you stopped by!
We started Amherst WoodWorks because we enjoy being creative and enjoy doing things together. We make all our products by hand in our Amherst, NY shop. We offer high quality, unique craft items for your home or office and gift items for many occasions.
Our products can be found in a number of stores, including:
Iroquois Indian Museum
Howes Cave, New York
Smoking Joe's
Sanborn, New York
Seneca-Iroquois National Museum
Salamanca, New York
Mohawk Craft Shop
Fonda, New York
Each of our pieces is designed and meticulously hand-crafted by us. We have many designs from which to choose, but our most popular items are our Haudenosaunee-inspired items. Our products make great gifts or wonderful additions to any décor.
If you're interested in becoming an Amherst WoodWorks Reseller, we have a Wholesale Program and would be happy to put a Wholesale Package together for you. Check out our Wholesale Page for more information.
We do a number of craft shows each year and really enjoy meeting our customers. We've made lots of friends along the way and hope to see or hear from you soon!
Your satisfaction is our top priority. If for any reason you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at info@amherstwoodworks.com and we will make it right.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We enjoy what we do and hope you do to! Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!
~Rob & Mary
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Profiles
Robert D’Alimonte
Hi, my name is Robert and you might say being an artist is in my blood. I come from a family of artists and grew up exposed to some of the best Haudenosaunee art in the world. My grandfather was the famed Mohawk artist Stan Hill who single-handedly brought back the ancient art of bone and antler carving. My uncles Russel Hill and Stan Hill, Jr. are also accomplished artists, carrying on the tradition started by my grandfather. My uncle Rick Hill is a well-known painter, writer, and leader in the Haudenosaunee community. My mother Janet D'Alimonte makes some of the best hand-made dream catchers and decorative feathers in the world. So, it was almost inevitable that I too carry on the tradition of creativity.
For me, being creative is more than a passion - it's almost an insatiable need. Throughout my life, I've always gravitated towards creative endeavors. In high school, while most of the boys were taking shop class, I was in the advertising art curriculumn where I learned to draw and organize copy. I've always had an eye for balanced design. During my high school years, I also learned to play the drums and played in bands through my mid-twenties.
While in college, I taught myself how to write software and create web pages. While I originally planned on going to medical school, I become so enamored by what I could do with computers that I decided to pursue a career in software design. For the past 16 years, I've designed a number of software systems used by health insurance companies throughout New York State.
However, in 2003, the death of my grandfather proved to be a turning point for me. That single event awoke a spirit inside me that had been dormant my entire life. Since then, I've had this burning desire to carry on the tradition he started in the mid-1970s. I've gotten more in touch with my culture and have learned so much. It's been a long journey to get to this point, but I feel I am on the right path.
For me, the work I do is an extention of who I am - my spirit. I enjoy the creative process tremendously and the satisfaction that comes from taking a piece from an idea, to realization, and finally into the hands of a satisfied customer. My work continues to evolve as I continue to grow. While I've sold thousands of pieces in the few years since we started Amherst WoodWorks, I feel I am just getting started!
Mary Balicki
My name is Mary and I joined Robert in starting Amherst WoodWork in 2009. We both love nature and we love bringing it to life with our work. While I've always enjoyed being creative, I never thought I would find myself doing craft shows and creating art pieces from nature. I taught my daughters to be creative from a young age. We would go for long walks in the woods and would glue things we found to pieces of paper to make different abstract pieces of artwork. My daughter Ashley used to collect bottle caps and always had pockets packed with them. I would often find them in the washing machine when doing laundry! My older daughter Marissa would collect dried weeds or flowers and glue them on paper.
I started my Centerieces by finding broken branches in the woods behind my house. I used the branches to create Halloween scenes. After painting them black, I would add various halloween ornaments to the mounted branches. Sometimes I would add lights to them as well. Later, I moved on to gather dried weeds and flowers to make floral arrangements. People loved these pieces and I sold a number of them at craft shows. I knew I was on to something.
Currently, I use Manzanita Branches exclusively for my Centerpieces. Manzanita is the seventh hardest wood in the world, readily available, durable, and does not become brittle with time. We obtain our branches from a responsible supplier who ensures the sustainability of the Manzanita trees.
I still go into the woods to use mature's discarded beauty and to find inspiration. I've always loved being in the woods and enjoy the beauty it brings. Now, with my Centerpieces I can bring it into my home and yours. Thanks for stopping by. I'd love to hear from you, so please drop me a line at info@amherstwoodworks.com.
