About

Mario D Santilli has been creating custom wood works for over 40 years, and has been selling for about 10 years.  Early pieces were made for family, friends, and charity auctions while maintaining a successful orthopaedics surgical practice and raising three daughters.  With his children grown (and after providing several pieces of furniture for each of their homes), Mario has been further honing his craft and developing his fine wood working skills through practice, workshops and seminars.  

Mario was born in Italy and moved to the US in the mid 1950s with his family.  He grew up in Buffalo, NY and has called the area his home ever since.  He met his future wife/business manager/photographer, Chris-Elaine, in high school and they have been happily married for 45 years.  When purchasing a house to raise their growing family, they chose one with a large, high-bay basement for Mario's workshop.  He moved his studio to a ground floor space in 2022.

Mario's work is currently available for purchase at the Museum Store at the Burchfield Penney Art Center, 1300 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY

The juried show, 100 American Craftsmen, now called American Craftsmen Artisan Festival, accepted Mario every year since 2017. (There was no show in 2020.) Each year, Mario has shown about 200 items with brisk sales. The show is held annually at the Kenan Center Arena, 433 Locust St, Lockport, NY. (kenancenter.org)

Art in Craft Media 2017 at the Burchfield Penney Art Center  accepted two of Mario's works. (See photo below.) His work, “Corona,” was also accepted to Art in Craft Media 2021.

Mario has also participated in “Art is a Gift” for several years at the Burchfield Penney Art Center. This is an annual juried show, usually held the first weekend in December.

To contact Mario, send a message to mds.woodworker@icloud.com , or call 716-713-6853.

Find Mario on Facebook at Mario D. Santilli, Woodworker