The wood-whisperer

In the hills above Orcas, on land dense with trees, Tim Forbes lives comfortably in harmony with the flora and fauna that surround him.

For the past two years, he’s been crafting a wooden bench, a bench that, in a way, pays tribute to the man who provided the inspiration for it more than 30 years ago.

Forbes, who counts boat building among a wide array of skill sets, enjoyed many conversations about the business with the late Loyal Hoffman whose daughter Forbes knew from high school. One day, he noticed a juniper tree near where the two often exchanged ideas growing in the form of a chair and suggested Hoffman cut it down for such a purpose.

“He told me I couldn’t cut that tree down because it was ‘still alive,” Forbes remembers. “So, I waited. I visited the tree often, even after Loyal passed, and waited. I waited until the tree died. It took 20 years but I waited.”

Cutting the old juniper down was only the first step. The chair-shaped trunk was then split down the middle and set aside to season for 10 years.

“The Japanese tend to allow their wood to grow older, even after it’s been cut down. The method allows any insects still alive to exit, leaving the wood pest-free,” he said.

According to Forbes, the length of time it ages depends on the type of wood. For juniper, he settled on a decade.

Dubbed the Loyal Hoffman Bench, the hand-crafted wooden seat with a hammered brass roof is for sale and will be displayed this Saturday, July 3 at the farmer’s market in the Village Green, a fitting site since Forbes designed the intricate woodwork that frames the bandstand. The tree that grew like a bench made up the sides; a piece of 500-year-old California redwood provided the arms; the slatted seat was created from old-growth island fir.

Like many on Orcas, Forbes grew up vacationing here with his parents. In 1972 he decided to stay. He’s lived in his current home, which he built himself, for the past 23 years. In 2014, while making repairs to his roof, Forbes slipped and injured his spine. He’s been wheelchair-bound since.

He’s asking $7,500 for the bench, enough to purchase a specially adapted diesel pickup truck that he can drive, freeing him from depending on others.

Teacher of permaculture, woodworker, Kundalini yoga instructor, jewelry-maker and boat builder, Forbes lives a life well-attuned to nature’s nuances and the joys of giving back. By his own account, he’s planted more than 10,000 trees on seven acres that he shares with friends and the birds and butterflies his gardens – and his positive spirit – attract.

“I’m an incredibly curious person,” he said when asked to describe himself. “I have lots of interests in life, in all its forms. I’ve discovered that wood has its own language and, over the years, I’ve found that language to be one of aromas, textures, and polished layers of time.”

Forbes regularly incorporates Sacred Geometry and the Golden Mean Rectangle into his designs.

“It’s generally believed that when proportions of both are used in creating a piece of art or a woodworking project the result is perceived as balanced or pleasing. I strive for that in every piece I create, and to honor the aliveness of every element,” he said.

Forbes feels he has honored the integrity of the old juniper with the bench and, even though he’ll be gaining valuable space on his workplace deck, he’s a bit sorry to see it leave. Still, he knows it’s time.

“Just the other day I thanked the bench for giving me the opportunity to focus my abilities in the hope others may see the love and care I put into it.”

While Forbes knows he can’t control the purchase of the Loyal Hoffman Bench, he hopes the buyer will see it as more than a piece of art and appreciate the story behind it.

“It would be nice if there was a connection,” he said, “and I would love to see it stay on the island.”

The Loyal Hoffman Bench will be on display at the Orcas Island Farmers Market in the Village Green, Saturday, July 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more about Forbes and his work, visit liveedgebuilding.com.