How did John become blind?
At 16, John survived a suicide attempt that resulted in the loss of his sight and sense of smell. Today, he shares his story to help break the stigma around mental health and encourage open conversations. If you’re struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to someone you trust or contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7 by call or text. You are not alone.
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Why are John's eyes closed?
Because of the way John became blind (from a gunshot), the nerves in his eyelids became permanently damaged and he cannot open them. His optic nerves were also permanently damaged which caused total blindness. His blindness cannot be repaired with surgery.
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How did John get into woodworking?
After losing his sight, John faced a difficult period of struggle, including a few years of meth addiction. Feeling lost and hopeless, he eventually found a new path after getting clean. He attended a school for the blind in Salt Lake City, where he discovered woodworking. His instructor, Chris Hathaway, who is also blind, became both a mentor and a close friend. After the class ended, Chris continued to teach John the art of woodturning on a lathe. Woodworking became more than just a skill; it gave John purpose, focus, and a way to move forward. To this day, Chris and John remain great friends.
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How did John and Anni meet?
Check the "Our Story" page!
How does John identify the different wood types he uses?
Anni helps him identify the wood and John marks the ends with a tactile tool (a marking gauge) and he keeps them organized in piles by type (or tries to!). He also has an amazing memory and can remember by the shape, thickness or uniqueness of the boards or pieces of wood.
Does he get lots of splinters?
The short answer is yes! Either he pulls them out or Anni helps him.
Where did John get his necklace that he's always wearing?
John's brother was gifted the pendant by a Maori gentleman he met in Australia (the pendant is from New Zealand). After John lost his sight, his brother gave it to him. It is a symbol of protection beloved by the Maori people. John has been wearing it for over 25 years.
What is the tattoo that John has?
He has a tattoo of the Eye of Horus on the palm of his hand. He says he has an eye on his palm because "His hands are his eyes." The Eyes of Horus is a sacred symbol of well-being, healing, and protection in ancient Egyptian culture.
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Where can mail or cards be sent?
Firstly, thank you! Gifts or cards can be sent to
John and Anni Furniss
PO Box 717 Washougal, WA 98671
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When do you restock your online store?
We restock every 2-3 weeks, usually on Sunday mornings. We send out an email newsletter reminder the morning of restock day.
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Where can I follow you on social media?
We each have our own Instagram art pages. John's can be found here and Anni's here. We share TikTok, YouTube and Facebook pages. You can also sign up for our newsletter (we send it about one or two times a month). In our newsletter we send life updates, stories and photos of our artwork!
Ways to support John and Anni?
First of all, thank you for all of your support! Currently, we sell our artwork and merch on our online store. We also have a tip option where every $5 earns an entry to win one of John's handmade creations. You can also interact with our social media pages! We are in the process of finding other ways to thrive and will let you know when those come to fruition! ​
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Do Anni or John do custom/commission work?
No, neither of us do special requests or pre-orders. As artists, we love creating from the heart, but due to our disabilities, we have to be mindful of how we use our time and energy. Commission work requires a level of structure and demand that we simply can’t manage while maintaining our well-being. Instead, we focus on creating pieces that bring us joy, which we hope will bring joy to you as well. Thank you for understanding and supporting our work!
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Do you do International shipping?
At this time we don't offer International shipping. We currently only ship within the U.S. due to past challenges with customs and international shipping complexities. While we’d love to share our work worldwide, these hurdles make it difficult to ensure a smooth experience for our customers. We truly appreciate your understanding and support!
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What types of adaptive tools does John use in the wood shop?
The only adaptive tool John uses is a Rotomatic, a tactile measuring tool designed for blind and low-vision woodworkers. However, he has developed several adaptive techniques to work safely and accurately. For example, he marks wood with a tactile marking tool for precise cuts and even places his hand lightly on the spinning lathe to gauge its motion (do not try this at home!). As he puts it, without these techniques, his work would "look like a blind guy made it." 😆 He also relies on a SawStop table saw, which automatically stops if it detects skin contact, an extra layer of safety in his workshop.
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