LEWISTON – Finding straight lines among the sweeping curves of John Stass’ wooden creations can be futile. Guitar and music stands sit upon gentle arcs of cherry. Desk drawers open at acute angles.

The sculpture-like aesthetic, which Stass calls “Zen-like,” was always intended. Now it’s by design.

Stass, the founder of Katahdin Studio Furniture, hired woodworker James Roy last winter. His aim: “professionalization” of the wood shop.

“He had in him what I didn’t have in me,” said Stass, a self-taught woodworker who has spent the first 10 years of his business as its only employee.

Stass did well alone, building a catalog of more than 50 pieces and an affluent customer base that has included several famous people. Among them are Andy Griffith, Oprah Winfrey, Vince Gill, Steve Miller and Melissa Etheridge.

But he wanted to grow.

This year, he expanded his wood shop on the sixth floor of Lewiston’s Hill Mill to handle three woodworkers at a time. Roy has worked to recreate almost every piece in Stass’ catalog.

With each one, he has made new patterns and jigs to improve efficiency, should somebody else come along.

“James is establishing a logical sequence of operation for construction,” Stass said. “He knows what works.”

Busy and laconic, Roy, 49, said he has been working with wood since he was in high school. For more than 30 years, he has made a living working for local companies that made high-end furniture or outfitted whole rooms.

As the only employee, Roy must be able to make every piece from start to finish.

For him it’s a refreshing change from some of the specialization that’s part of any large operation. Someone who is good at making a certain type of piece – such as a door or a chair – might make nothing else.

“It’s a good way to go if you want to make a lot,” Roy said.

But it gets old.

For Stass, the change has done more than free him up to tap new markets, such as colleges and conservatories.

It also has freed him to design some pieces that he might not know how to build but believes Roy can conquer.

“It’s liberating,” Stass said. “I have ideas in my head.”

Anything to share? Not yet.

But like all of his pieces – from the simple guitar wall mounts that sell for $45 each to the big, custom cases that sell for $9,000 or $10,000 – he figures each will be made with one pair of hands and subtle joinery.

“The closer you look, the better it is,” Stass said.