Juan Pablo Blanco CF ’12

Quality above all

Cabinet & Furniture Making ’12
Age 42
Bogota, Colombia
Owner, Blanco Design

What were you doing before you came to NBSS to train?

I’ve been a woodworker for much of my life, and I enrolled at Escuela de Artes y Oficios Santo Domingo, a trade school where I am from, in Bogota, Colombia. Once I finished the program. I transitioned to an instructor there.

Why NBSS, and how did it impact you?

I decided that I still had a lot to learn about woodworking, even as an instructor. I began looking for trade schools in the United States and England, and NBSS seemed like the best option for me. What impressed me most was the level of quality in every single aspect of the School: the instructors, the equipment, and the pieces students were creating. Even though I had been in the industry for some time, the level of quality at North Bennet was something I’d never experienced.

Every expectation I had of the School going in was surpassed once I got there. The two years I spent at North Bennet greatly influenced my career today.

Do you have a favorite memory from your time at NBSS?

My favorite memory was the day we actually started our first project, a Shaker nightstand. In the beginning, it was almost a month of instruction—on safety, tool sharpening, machine use, materials, joinery—but we hadn’t even touched a piece of wood. I remember so well the day that we went to the lumber yard to select the wood and brought it back to the shop, then finally got to turn on the equipment and begin the work.

What are you doing now?

After my time at North Bennet, I returned to Escuela de Artes y Oficios Santo Domingo and worked as an instructor there for another 15 years. Within the past year, I’ve started my own custom furniture business, Blanco Designs, which has been a dream of mine for a long time. 

I make everything you can think of, but my favorite thing to make is any project that challenges me. Recently, I submitted my first piece to the annual student and alumni Exhibition. It’s a globe made entirely of wood, with every country carved out of it. It took me about a month to make, and it was such a fulfilling project.

What’s next for you?

The best part of my job is the chance to imagine something, visualize it, and then actually make it. The bonus is that other people like the end product and appreciate it. Over the next few years, I hope to develop unique furniture that has a custom feel but is affordable and accessible.

This story is from our Summer 2025 issue of Benchmarks magazine. Read more stories from the issue or view past issues.