Anatoly Tsiris was born into a family of schoolteachers in the small Ukranian town called Kmelnitsky. Carrying on the family tradition, he graduated from college with a teaching degree in math and science. However, deciding he was more of a craftsman than a scholar, he took a job at Machine Building Factory in Jugansk, Ukraine where he worked on a variety of metal-cutting machinery. Over thirty of his improvements and additions for the work process were registered and used in production.

The first job Anatoly was offered when he arrived in the USA was as a carpenter. For a few years he worked as a carpenter and cabinetmaker in PA, NJ, and NY. Gradually he came to the idea of making furniture. By that time Anatoly was living in Charlotte, NC. In his basement shop he started to make home furniture of his own design. Among other equipment, Anatoly got a small lathe for turning furniture legs. Surprisingly, this little thing turned his life in a new direction. Very soon it was replaced by a custom made 2600 lb. Nichols lathe and woodturning became Anatoly’s #1 occupation.

Thanks to his previous metalworking experience the techinical side rarely puts any limits on Anatoly’s imagination. He prefers to work on a large scale and is attracted to unusual pieces of wood, seeing the beauty in the irregularities. What someone else would probably consider a defect for Anatoly is the unique personality of the piece-of-art-to-be, and Anatoly’s job is to help it to develop.

In just a few years Anatoly became a recognizable figure in Charlotte’s artistic crowd. He is an active member of American Association of Woodturners and Charlotte Woodturners. His works are represented in galleries of Charlotte and Atlanta and purchased by many corporate and private collectors.