On International Women’s Day, we had the pleasure of speaking with Christy Miller, the owner of Oakhill Millworks in North Central Indiana. Christy’s journey as a female woodworker is both inspiring and insightful. Here’s what she had to say:
Q1: How did you get started in woodworking?
My name is Christy Miller, and I’m the owner of Oakhill Millworks in North Central Indiana. It’s kind of hard to pinpoint exactly when I got my start in woodworking professionally. I started Oakhill Millworks in 2019, building whatever custom requests I got at the time because I was completely a rookie and just needed to say yes and learn and build. I’ve been making things my entire life—making messes, making memories, but ultimately making the life that I wanted to live. As a kid, I played in the woods a lot, looking for materials like old cinder blocks, bricks, and the occasional plank of wood to build forts. That was my happy place, so I feel like my maker journey truly started as a kid.
Q2: Can you share some of the most memorable projects you’ve worked on and why they are special to you?
One of my most memorable projects was actually my first real woodworking project for my family. It was in 2018, prior to owning a business. I completely designed it myself, made a shopping list and a cut list, and did it with the tools I had at the time. I just went for it, not worrying too much about the proper ways to build things. Even though there are obvious flaws in it now that I know more about building, I love it. It means so much to me, and I have zero intentions of getting rid of it. This project taught me so much about building and about what I was capable of.
Q3: As a female woodworker, have you faced any unique challenges or biases in the industry? How did you overcome them?
There’s no doubt that it’s more of a challenge for women to be in this field than men, because of history. Historically, men served in factories and worked in the trades, and we’re trying to change that. I haven’t experienced a great deal of that kind of challenge, especially wearing this shirt that represents an era when women were really stereotyped and challenged to only work in certain roles. Any challenge I’ve experienced has been negligible, and I want to encourage other women not to worry about that stereotype. If you want to be in a field of woodworking or plumbing or welding, just go do it and do it well. There are enough men out there who are happy to collaborate with us when we do things well.
Q4: What do you think are the unique strengths that women bring to woodworking?
I think there are a lot of different strengths that women can bring to the field of woodworking. Communication is a big one. If you’re doing custom jobs, you’re working closely with people, and people want to know that they’re in good hands. Women are often good at providing updates and keeping clients informed. Whether it’s dealing with clients or being part of a team, communication is a strength that women bring to woodworking and every field.
Q5: Do you have any advice for young women who are interested in pursuing a career in woodworking?
If I had to give one piece of advice to women or young girls wanting to get into the field of woodworking or making anything, I would strongly urge you to not spend too much time on your phone looking at what other people are doing. It might seem like inspiration, but eventually, it will mess with your mindset. Just start with something—anything. Build something that you want to build, keep your eyes on your own paper, and experience it. Analyze what you made and learn from your mistakes. Embrace failure because failure is not what we were taught. If you can learn to become friends with failure, you’re going to do well for yourself. Just start, and you will grow and kick booty.
To every female woodworker:
Thank you, women who build. You’re shaping the world.
Watch the full interview video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeOdx756b1M&t=634s
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