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Outdoor

Alicia Dietz Studios

Richmond, VA

"Woman-owned. Veteran-owned. Handcrafted custom furniture, artisan concrete, woodworking, design, and home decor in Richmond, VA. Heirloom furniture made from locally sourced hardwoods, each piece is crafted with intention, integrity, and innovation."

Nearly a decade ago, I traded a pilot helmet for hand plane, following my passion for craft after a ten-year career as an officer and Blackhawk Helicopter Maintenance Test Pilot in the U.S. Army. I served in Iraq and have been stationed all over the world, including Germany, Alaska, and Egypt. While seemingly two different areas of expertise, my career in the Army unexpectedly prepared me to design and build. The discipline necessary to command soldiers and to test broken helicopters has translated into an astute attention to detail and an unwavering work ethic.

Craft, labor, dedication, and learning were the cornerstones of my personal ethos in the military. These same characteristics are exemplified in my pursuit of craft. Some people find it an odd jump to go from helicopter pilot to studio furniture maker. But many of the same principals apply. In the military, you learn to plan in both overview and specific detail. And then you execute. Yet, no plan survives first contact. So you evaluate your situation based on previous knowledge and on what your experts are advising you, make changes, disseminate that information, and the execute again. I find this to be true in my studio – this process of evaluation and action, time and time again, leads to projects and pieces more informed than the last. It is this constant cycle that allows me to evaluate what I’ve just done in order to produce ever-evolving work.

Always looking for a new experiment, I find the journey of the creative process its own reward. For the past several years, I’ve been investigating the intersection of wood and concrete, a surface I feel I’ve only begun to scratch. Wood is technical and precise and requires exacting attention. Concrete is fluid, both in material and in mindset. You can control it up to a point, and then it does what it wants. Moving between the two materials keeps ideas flowing.

I am part of a group of professionals who are making our mark, experimenting with techniques, sustaining a business, constructing furniture, and building a community. I’m a woman who’s carving a path, crafting a living, and making a difference. I am proud to be part of a larger group of women who serve as inspiration and empowerment – and do so with grit and grace.

I earned a BSJ in Advertising/Journalism from Ohio University in 2001 and two Woodworking and Furniture Making Degrees from Vermont Woodworking School in 2012 and 2013.

I completed my MFA in Craft and Material Studies at VCU (Virginia Commonwealth Virginia) in 2016.

I live and work in Richmond, Virginia.

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