Canterbury furniture maker David Lamb was born in New Hampshire and grew up at Canterbury Shaker Village. Early in his artistic life, he apprenticed with master European cabinetmaker Alejandro de la Cruz, who taught him that being a craftsman is a lifelong commitment. Throughout the years Lamb has developed his artistry in fine furniture making, incorporating various period forms, Shaker sensibilities, classic re-interpretation and contemporary styles into his work.

Lamb is a founding member of the New Hampshire Furniture Masters Association, a group of furniture makers dedicated to producing handmade furniture of unsurpassed quality in a variety of styles while cultivating awareness of both their work and of N.H.’s furniture-making traditions. Lamb’s work has won numerous design awards and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Traditional Home Magazine, the New York Times and N.H. Home Magazine, as well as on N.H. Chronicle, N.H. Outlook and others.

Lamb is striving to use his position as Artist Laureate to promote New Hampshire’s fine arts and crafts industry, our legacy of craftsmanship and the supportive environment for self-employed artists in the state. “People talk about ‘the New Hampshire Advantage,” says Lamb. “The arts and crafts in New Hampshire are a huge part of that. New Hampshire is tradition; we hold on to what’s important. The U.S. looks to New England, and then to New Hampshire, for what’s important when it comes to traditional crafts.”

"David Lamb is a talented artist whose contributions have enriched the New Hampshire arts community," commented Governor Lynch. "We are fortunate to have David serve as artist laureate where he will have the opportunity to enrich the lives of others both through his art and also as a mentor to our state's emerging artists."

Lamb has created several masterpieces in collaboration with former Artist Laureate James Aponovich including this remarkable breakfront commissioned by patrons Tom Silvia and his wife, Shannon Chandley in 2012.

According to Lamb, "the piece is a classic traditional form reflective of work being done in Portsmouth during the infancy of our country. A significant design aspect is the visual and decorative use of birch, our state tree. The birch in conjunction with the primary material, mahogany, also reflects this earlier time and sophistication and equally the symbol of “frost on glass” to reflect the extremes of our environment and thus the rugged-ness of our culture."

"On the frieze above the frosted glass are five carved panels representing the different Aspects of NH. This was an Aponovich idea encouraged by the clients. These aspects were also done in paint in small ovals in the lower doors. These aspects are; the Native American, the Seacoast, the Interior Mountains, Agriculture and Industry."

"The reverse side of the upper central doors opened to reveal an imagined view of Mt. Washington, the Presidential Range and other parts of NH at the height of winter with the other seasons bracketing the view. This painting emphasized the winter theme as foreshadowed on the frost doors, as well as the natural beauty this state is blessed with."

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