Aled Lewis residency: All about design

“Good design is the articulation of one significant thought”, says UK designer maker Aled Lewis. In the video below, he explains how design is a language that we need to learn and practise expressing visual ideas in.

Aled Lewis is a furniture designer from Wales. He has over 40 years experience in designing and making furniture and products for private, corporate and education institutions in the UK and the USA. He has been a teacher and instructor for 20 years and lead instructor at the Centre for Furniture Craftsmanship in the USA for 11 years. He continues to teach in the USA, New Zealand, Australia and the UK.

In January 2026, at the Centre for Fine Woodworking in Nelson, New Zealand, a 5-week residency program with Aled Lewis will focus on developing product design ideas with an emphasis on skills and aesthetics. Entitled “Fresh Thinking – New Ideas for Familiar Projects”, the residency is an opportunity to work alongside and learn from a highly respected practitioner and educator.  

This program is intended for makers with some previous experience to work independently as woodworkers, but extensive previous experience is not necessary. Within the program, Aled Lewis will teach morning sessions, while afternoons will be self-directed. At the same time, Aled will work alongside on his own designs giving participants further insights. Demonstrations, discussions and individual consultation will be part of the program.

Learn more about the residency here

Learn more about Aled Lewis in the video below.