Shakers first came to America from England in 1774. Their communities were largely self-sufficient: in their attempt to separate themselves from the outside world and to create a heaven-on-earth, members grew their own food, constructed their own buildings, and manufactured their own tools and household furnishings.

The guiding Shaker principles of honesty, utility, and simplicity found expression in various crafts. Furniture, boxes, and textiles made by the Shakers are renowned for their minimalist design and high quality. Shaker tenets held that manufactured goods should be honest in construction and appearance. Rejecting excessive ornament because it ostensibly encouraged the sin of pride, Shaker furniture makers focused on overall form and proportions, developing creative solutions such as asymmetrical drawer arrangements and multipurpose forms to add visual interest without resorting to pure decoration.

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Mark is a native of Kansas City, but has been in Atlanta since 1991 and has always been a "hands-on" guy. As a hobby, he has been working with wood in various forms for 35 years. He has been long been attracted to the creativity of Frank Lloyd Wright, the Mission movement and the Shakers, for their clean designs and organic feel. He started making oval Shaker boxes in 1995 to actually be used, as much as for the beauty of the form. Boxes made 100 years ago are still strong and usable, and he hopes his boxes will still be used 100 years from now.