Phil Lowe: A craftsman and gentleman
Two woodworkers, Will Neptune and Steve Brown, remember their mentor.
Synopsis: Woodworking lost one of its giants in January 2021 with the passing of Philip C. Lowe, teacher and master of period furniture making, founder of the Furniture Institute of Massachusetts, sailor, scholar, writer, and friend. Here the woodworking community remembers one of our own.
Woodworkers like Philip C. Lowe don’t come along often. In fact, humans like him are a rare commodity, combining extraordinary talent with more than average levels of kindness and generosity, and on top of that the passion and temperament to teach for decades. While he can’t be summed up with a few titles, Phil was a father, husband, tradesman, sailor, teacher, scholar, writer, mentor, and, above all, a friend. His life was full. His loss is profound.