ACANTHUS.COM - Key Persons

Charles (Chuck) Bender is one of the most highly regarded furniture makers in the country and the founder of the Acanthus Workshop. He began woodworking (seriously) at the age of 12 in his parents' basement, making pieces of furniture for friends and family. Chuck studied under Werner Duerr at the Central Chester County Vocational Technical School (now called the Center for the Arts and Technology) in Pennsylvania. Werner taught his high school program exactly like his apprenticeship in Germany. The students were instructed to blend hand tool use with power tools. Chuck teaches that same philosophy today.