Katie Bister

Swedish-American Katie Bister was born and raised in Southern Africa where she was exposed to and aware of the poverty and the lack of good educational systems in her town, but also the beauty of local crafts. Local craftspeople made use of unconventional materials like chip bags and soda cans to make things like coin purses and cycling figurines. Katie always felt the desire to be creative, but it wasn't until she started at Berea College that she felt drawn to woodworking. For the past 6 years Katie has lived in Berea, KY where she started working as the manager of The Woodworking School at Pine Croft after graduating in 2023. Katie's specializes in making furniture using traditional materials, tools, and techniques, creating work that is inspired by her community.