Theresa Tonte - Profile

Theresa Tonte officially joined Artisans of the Valley full time May of 2006. She decided to make a career change into the furniture repair and restoration trade after a two years with Eric watching and practicing on small restorations along the way.

She's specializing in on-site repair and restoration, otherwise known as "Nick & Bang" or "Scratch & Dent" repair. Artisans of the Valley is now offering this service through Teri's spin-off company "Smooth Finish." Services are detailed in on our On-Site page.

Left shows the couple during the first year of their relationship; yes periodically they do dress up. There will be more photos coming with actual formal attire!

Teri and Eric were engaged New Years eve of 2006. Keep checking back, wedding plans will be posted shortly!

Teri and Eric completed their Mohawk Certified Touch-up Technician courses the summer of 2006. Teri has been practicing the art repairing minor furniture damage in the shop with Artisans now for over three years.

Theresa (Teri) has become well versed in finish preparation and finishing techniques. She now plays a key role in keeping both commissions and restorations moving. She is also gaining experience in veneer repair, which will provide Artisans another much needed resource in this area.

She is also exploring her skills in woodcarving, assisting at an apprentice level outlining and removing backgrounds, as well as sanding and stippling backgrounds. Given her aptitude for detail and ability to learn quickly, it won't be long before she gets herself more involved in Artisans carving projects.

Aside from Teri's abilities in woodworking and finishing, she is active in various hobbies with fiance Eric, as well as her own specialties.

Now, you've seen the photo at the top, featuring Ms. Teri cuddling her Titanium Remington 308. We should point out, she's not just holding that rifle for show; she knows how to use it! Click on the photo and check the markings on her face.

Teri got her first two deer at the YO Ranch in TX - December of 2006 ... (back to back) ... consisting of two Sika doe and an 8pt trophy buck. It's a shame that Cannon video cameras absolutely suck, and our brand new one failed on this trip otherwise we'd have a period consisting of less than 60 seconds firing only two shots.

If this doesn't clearly serve to illustrate Teri's hunting skills, observe below where Ms. Teri took down a 300lb+ Austrian boar with a single shot.

Check out our Wildlife Carving Section, Eric's Profile, Road Trip 2007, and Texas 2006, for more photos Teri's predator instinct.

Also taking up more fishing adventures Teri managed to catch herself a few small sand sharks (dogfish) on this trip! Also start to note the choice of hats, Teri is known to be an avid Eagles fan. Client's should be aware, no on-site work will be scheduled that conflicts with a game!

We'll post a bit more on this area of Teri's expertise a bit later. See, Teri is a very dedicated poker player often spending hours practicing online. With a goal of competing in the World Series of Poker, she's occasionally found sound asleep clutching her laptop while the game is still going.

What's interesting about this tactic? Well, there's more than one nap where the game going into auto-fold while she gets a nap that left her at the final tournament table! A few times, she was so far ahead when she fell asleep that she woke up to find she placed 2nd or 3rd overall!

We've just added Teri's profile - so check back soon for more natural habitat and background photos and stories about Teri. Also be sure to check our website, she'll be making regular appearances throughout the site!

The medieval photo shoot by Henry Schweber features one of our 2007 Portfolio Projects, a Gothic Dining Table. Photos are coming online as we process the photos and update the website.

Check out our Adventure Album for more trip & event photos!