As a youngster, Micah Seals was very curious and developed his imagination by playing with 2x4s and a handsaw.
“It was great times as a kid building tree houses and forts, but as I got older, I became curious with dissecting objects in my mind and figuring out how they worked,” said Seals. “Thus comes the curious hand with the curious mind.”
That skill has developed to award-winning status with his fine woodworking skills and unique furniture pieces. Three of his pieces will be displayed at the upcoming NICHE Students Awards in Washington, D.C. at the American Made Show. The show is the nation’s largest wholesale marketplace bringing together American and Canadian artists, designers and retailers exhibiting to nearly 5,000 buyers.
The pieces are “Push Me,” a unique shelf with retractable doors; “Coffee Table,” a lovely two-tiered table of cherry and soft maple; and  “The Player in the Wood,” a record player constructed of cherry, soft maple and poplar featuring a retractable top and storage area.
While employed in the cabinetry industry, he was exposed to pieces featuring a meticulous look, which interested him. He says the exposure led him away from the more framing construction of a house to the more finishing and detailed parts of home construction. He feels this is what pushed him to become more educated in the field of fine woodworking and inspired him to pursue education.
“I want to make furniture that will captivate a person’s attention and enhance their curiosity to touch,” said Seals. “It’s through perception that drives curiosity and without curiosity we would never discover anything new.”
Winners in the competition will be announced at a ceremony Jan. 16 at Washington Convention Center, which Seals and his family will be attending.
The 27-year-old is a Warren County High School graduate, attended Tennessee Technological School of Livingston, Nashville State Community College, and recently graduated from Tennessee Technological University earning a bachelor of fine art degree with a focus on woodworking. He is married to Heather Calfee Seals, and his parents are Lisa Seals, and Chris Seals. Grandparents include Louise and Jerry Winkler and Eva Jacobs.