We’re designers, fabricators, engineers, and project managers who love a challenge. With deep experience and a shared creative drive, we build what others can’t—or haven’t thought to yet.
Like many aspirational brands, Figure Plant started in a garage. 25 years ago, I had the notion for a multi-disciplinary, creative fabrication workshop that fulfills a variety of design visions and creative ideas in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment. From that one-man shop in a 400 sq. ft. garage to today’s 20,000 sq. ft. facility, much has evolved. But no matter the source, the projects are alike: three-dimensional, physical objects and environments that inspire, inform, and motivate.
– David Fredrickson/Founder
Collaborate with Curiosity
Solve with Creativity
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Alexandra credits her mother with passing on her love of “how all things work.” Mom was never happier than when something around the house would break, because it meant she got to learn--in the pre-YouTube-video days, mind you--how to fix it. Thanks to this nurturing, Alexandra found metal shop and wood shop classes in high school riveting (yup, fabrication humor). After growing up in southern California she moved to the Bay Area where she spent time working in property management, as a make-up artist, and as a behavioral therapist working with autistic children. Eventually she began studying product design, but ultimately jettisoned that for the life-learning her cousin’s custom motorcycle shop in Concord offered. Soon she was teaching welding and availing herself of the free shop time that came as a perk of her job. When the time came to leave SF she knew one thing--she was headed somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. After a couple months camping around Oregon and Washington, Alexandra called Figure Plant, we called her back, and we’ve been together ever since!
With decades of hands-on experience and a sharp eye for logistics, Andrew plays a key role in keeping Figure Plant running smoothly–from ordering materials and coordinating vendors to jumping in on fabrication builds and problem-solving on the fly. He touches nearly every project that comes through the shop and brings a unique mix of technical know-how, adaptability, and calm-under-pressure energy to every team he supports. As a former metalworker, fabricator, and installation lead, Andrew’s background spans everything from public art and retail environments to high-profile cultural projects. At FP, he's a go-to collaborator for tackling unknowns, tracking down hard-to-find solutions, and helping teams work smarter. He’s also a core part of the shop’s Safety Committee and is deeply invested in fostering a space that’s not just efficient but thoughtful and human. While his past includes some wild chapters–boat captain, artist, East Coast transplant–Andrew is most focused on the work at hand and helping bring complex creative builds to life. Whether he’s diving into an inventory fix, advising on a prototype, or stepping in where he’s needed most, he’s here to make it happen.
Anya brings a fine woodworking background and a deep respect for craftsmanship to her role at Figure Plant. With a foundation in traditional furniture design and a love of hand-carving, she’s most in her element shaping and finishing pieces that elevate a project from good to great. Before joining the team, she worked on large-scale kiln-formed glass installations and held creative production and admin roles in both New York and Portland. Her path into woodworking started during the pandemic, when a stack of YouTube tutorials and some backyard pear tree branches sparked a shift in direction. At Figure Plant, she’s known for being calm, detail-oriented, and collaborative–comfortable moving between projects and always ready to help solve tricky problems. Whether refining activity carts for a custom library build or lending her skills to a complex retail display, Anya thrives on understanding the whole picture and then zooming in on the details. Outside of work, she’s often outdoors or elbows-deep in a new hands-on pursuit like carving, embroidery, or furniture making. She dreams of one day having her own small studio where she can keep making things, just because.
What began as a fascination with lawn mower engines and model rockets has turned into a full-time passion for building and making. No project too complicated, no request too daunting, David believes in Figure Plant’s ability to take on any creative assignment and make it amazing. As Figure Plant’s chief creator with more than 35 years in design and production, David sums up his management philosophy this way: “Artists and artisans are at their best when they’re supported, encouraged, and treated with respect and dignity. To me, this ecology is the best possible environment for a company dedicated to supporting the visions of other creative professionals.”
With a woodworker grandfather and a contractor dad, Deven obviously did not roll far from the tree when he landed. Throughout his life he’s been drawn to the quirky/edgy/offbeat/unique. He may have played sax in his high school’s marching band, but he’s still always marched to the beat of his own drum. After finishing high school Deven quickly traded bonfires with friends in the desert near Palm Springs for the politics, music scene, and “independent art and thought” of college in northern California. He earned his degree in Environmental Studies and then bombed up I-5 to join Portland’s vibrant art and music world and burgeoning counterculture. “Everywhere I’ve gone in my life I’ve always been part of a creative collective” says Deven. And he’s not kidding: a silk-screening co-op with friends and local musicians; a collaborative woodshop with friends and fellow contractors; living with 10 roommates in a collective artist warehouse; showing stencil art with the group Vinyl Killers. He even built and co-owned an all-ages vegan club. Fortunately for us, the collective that is Figure Plant is now where Deven chooses to scratch his creative itch.
Em is a fabricator with a love of learning, a background in construction and carpentry, and a knack for solving weird problems in even weirder conditions. From LED installation to custom tile setting, woodworking to metalwork, Em thrives on hands-on projects that call for creative thinking and flexibility. Before joining Figure Plant, she built up her skills as a carpenter, tile setter, renovation specialist, farmer, and restaurant worker; what all her past roles have in common is variety, collaboration, and a bit of puzzle-solving. She’s been part of major projects like airport kiosks and large-scale installations, and loves figuring out how all the pieces fit together in both planning and execution. Known for her collaborative energy and offbeat sense of humor, Em keeps things light even on the sweatiest deadline days. Teammates appreciate her resourcefulness and outside-the-box approach, and she values the kindness, support, and camaraderie that define FP’s shop culture. Outside of work, she’s in her element when she’s on the water, line dancing, walking around the neighborhood in search of treasures, or building something totally unconventional with friends. Whether she’s crafting miniatures or dreaming up her next group art installation, Em brings the same curiosity and joy to everything she makes. In another life, she'd probably be an adventure guide for obscure local experiences–something with a little nature, a little education, and a lot of fun.
The moment high school was over, Portland’s Pacific NW College of Art lured Erica from her nomadic Midwest youth to an Amtrak train heading for the left coast. Art school (particularly sculpture and printmaking) was everything she hoped it would be, and she quickly enrolled at Portland State University to study chemistry and history as a foundation for art conservation. Soon she was making her way through the ranks of custom ceramics production for a local tile behemoth. She followed that up as Operations Manager for a custom woodshop in town. At long last, FP’s good fortune brought her to our door, where she oversees our production department with her calm and caring hand. An artist with a strong science/research bent, Erica regularly reminds us that two seemingly opposing things can exist at the same time: one can relish variety, but with consistency; one can hold a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and also have 10 years of classical flute training; one can find maximum joy from both being a parent and traveling solo; and one can even love the “nurturing arts” of reading, gardening, and cooking for loved ones, while also occasionally needing to belt out a (maybe-off-key) karaoke version of an Oingo Boingo classic.
Fred has been figuring out how to build things since he was knee high to a grasshopper. Every Christmas his parents would give him a big Lego Technic Expert Builder set, hoping it would keep him busy all day. And every time, he’d have it built in an hour. There were also a few experiments with high-voltage electricity, the results of which convinced him to stick to batteries and low-voltage electricity for a while (while we’re grateful, he may be scarred). Fred has an MFA in Technical Direction, and over 20 years of experience building and engineering scenery for theater. He still loves working with his hands–welding and butchering wood–but even more, he loves solving the puzzles of how to build awesome things well.
The story of John’s life has had WAY more chapters than he ever imagined it would. Lots of theater in high school and college–where he met owner David Fredrickson in 1985–and then off to the film business for 10 years (including the likes of Forrest Gump, A River Runs Through It, The Rock, and Armageddon). Then massage school, and a few years as a massage therapist. Then another decade as part owner and project manager of a small design/build remodeling company. And now somehow he has found a home among the spreadsheets and ping pong parties that come with helping guide the good ship Figure Plant. The burning question is how he found himself on a path involving making things in the first place. As his father once acknowledged, his upbringing did not exactly offer a ton of that experience. “Watching me run a new gas line at his house, my dad once asked me, ‘Did you have another father somewhere that I didn’t know about?’”
As comfortable repairing musical instruments as he is framing an addition to your house, Josh gets his juice from building things, plain and simple. His perfect rainy Sunday away from FP is working his side hustle in his home shop making furniture, objets d’wood, and something he enthusiastically refers to as a “banana drop.” (??) He comes by it honestly: “Dad’s always been a classic dad--handy, a woodworking and electrical nerd.” Exhibit #1: when Josh and his brother and sister each headed off to college, they were gifted a rescued-from-the-side-of-the-road-and-repaired vacuum cleaner. Originally from the Space Coast of Florida, he doesn’t miss the heat, but he loves when he gets to go visit. Over the years, Josh has repaired violins and other stringed things, made cabinets and furniture, fabricated retail fixtures, and remodeled high-end homes. And for fun? Well, despite the 20-degree water temperature difference from Florida, he still manages to get out and surf the swells of the Oregon coast.
“Art and music developed my life and my trajectory” says Megan. Musically, at age 14 she was introduced to the punk rock scene in Mankato, MN and from then on “it was mostly all punk all the time.” In high school she even built a stage in her basement where she hosted house-party punk shows. As for art, “There was a lot of art in my family” she says, in what we would call a fairly dramatic understatement. If you could heat-map her life, it would show art everywhere. Mom was an illustrator, and now owns an art gallery on the coast of Maine; Dad oversaw magazine layouts at a graphic arts company; her stepfather was an art teacher. College in Mankato saw Megan take “all the art classes” and love them all (despite never quite conquering that darned ceramics wheel). The West Coast beckoned, however--she’d fallen in love with San Francisco’s vibe and art scene when she visited at age 15--so graduation from college meant it was time to save money and relocate westward. After a lengthy stint running a couple high-end SF beauty salons she headed north for the brunches and happy hours and pinot noirs of Portland.
The spaghetti diagram of Michael’s life goes all over everywhere. It starts in the foggy redwoods of coastal Northern California and winds its way to Europe, Asia, and ultimately to Portland. Along the way Michael majored in art (focusing on ceramics) at Humboldt State University, and then went on to gain broad and deep experience working in creative fabrication studios, developing global supply chains, coaching and mentoring the next generation of leaders, and managing global regions of retail brand marketing professionals. He is both a human centered designer who puts the individual user experience at the heart of every design challenge and a budget-conscious and process-driven project leader. When he’s not helping our clients bring their creative visions to life, Michael delights in discovering new places, meeting wonderful people, and adventuring in the outdoors near and far.
Miles grew up just a block from the punk rock clothing stores and skateboard shops of South Street in Philadelphia. Both his parents were artists, and he knew early on that his path would involve the creative arts. The question he faced: “How can I do ‘projects’ for a living?” Miles knew that as long as he could be involved in making things, he’d be happy. His dad introduced him to industrial design, and soon he was off to RISD for college. Not long after graduating Miles grabbed a backpack and headed off for a 9-month Oceania adventure: volunteering at music festivals, “tramping,” and WWOOFing in New Zealand, then attending the King’s coronation and the Miss Galaxy trans beauty pageant in Tonga. Once back in this hemisphere, Miles found himself in the display world, first engineering, then PMing, and ultimately designing and developing retail displays. Eventually the West Coast beckoned, and a 13-day road trip with his wife and their pit-mix Gordon landed them in Portland. After working around town for a bit, Miles thankfully found his way to our door, where he brings his sense of humor, creative problem-solving, and collaborative spirit to bear on every project.
Nick is a fabricator and carpenter who thrives on variety. Whether he's framing, finishing, loading trucks, or running the forklift, he’s ready to jump in wherever he's needed, which makes him an especially valuable part of the Figure Plant team. Nick comes from a background in stone masonry and remodeling, and his eye for materials–especially wood–shapes much of his work today. He’s most in his element during the finishing stages of a build, when all the parts start to come together, but he's quick to say yes to any challenge that lets him build something new. His fabrication journey began through art and curiosity, first learning from a former teacher in Pennsylvania and eventually making his way to Portland, where he stumbled upon Figure Plant and never left. He's known on the team for his calm, even-keeled presence, a steady influence even in fast-paced installs or tight deadlines. Outside the shop, Nick’s usually out skating, surfing, or snowboarding depending on the season–or planning the next trip to catch waves with friends. He’s a hands-on problem solver who values craftsmanship, collaboration, and figuring things out as a team. Even after years on the crew, he says he still feels lucky to be her doing his dream job–making magic–everyday.
Quinn is a fabricator and CNC operator who brings precision, curiosity, and a calm confidence to every project. With a strong foundation in traditional woodworking, he honed his craft at a local custom wood shop, where he worked on custom solid wood windows, doors, and historic reproductions. These days, you'll most often find him running the CNC at Figure Plant, where he’s built everything from stylish kiosks to complex components for brand environments. He’s especially proud of his past work crafting over 100 unique oak doors for the Troy Laundry Building–each one a little different, each one beautiful. Known around the shop for his clarity, patience, and ability to keep things light, Quinn is a natural teacher and a valued teammate. He appreciates the creative problem-solving fabrication demands, but more than anything, he enjoys the people he works with and believes great coworkers are what truly make a job worthwhile. Outside the shop, Quinn’s usually deep in the music scene: playing with his band Cheex, spinning vinyl at bars and ball games, or DJing for X-Ray FM. He also makes time for dog park hangs and quick getaways with his wife. If he could do anything else, he’d take his band on the road full time, but until then, he’s happy building cool things with good people.
For Rob, the process of making things--the brainstorming, the questioning and problem-solving, the collaboration--has always been where he feels most at home. The Lego and erector sets and RC cars of his Ohio childhood led him to art classes in high school, where his early ceramics maxed out the school’s kiln with the biggest sculptures it could hold. Once in college, art eventually elbowed all other interests out of the way, and he ended up mounting not one but two large-scale thesis projects. After a summer residency at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture and a winter on a glacier in Patagonia Rob was off to Los Angeles for his MA from UCLA. Eventually, an actual dart thrown at an actual map fortuitously landed Rob in Portland, where he quickly ensconced himself in the city’s abundant BoHo community. A seven-year stint back in the Midwest as Associate Director of the School of Fine Arts Gallery at Indiana U and sculpture professor convinced him that he belonged in Portland, and soon he was back for good. Everything he’s done since has existed at the nexus of design and creation, including designing and building his own house. At FP, Rob loves being part of a place he feels “is truly interested in being supportive and growing in the right way.”
Robin is a longtime woodworker with deep experience, a steady hand, and a no-nonsense approach that’s earned her respect across the Figure Plant shop. With over 25 years in fabrication and creative production, she brings particular skill in working with woods. She’s known for her ability to guide a team, troubleshoot in real time, and elevate every project with both precision and care. Before joining FP, Robin worked in reclaimed materials, built wooden sailboats, furniture, bicycles, and even helped craft robotic floats for parades. Her career has crossed mediums and industries, but the throughline has always been craftsmanship, collaboration, and finding smart, creative ways to bring ambitious ideas to life. At Figure Plant, she especially values the rare balance of talent, trust, and mutual respect across departments–a culture she values greatly after seeing it all. Outside the shop, Robin thrives in the Pacific Northwest’s natural playground, spending time camping, gardening, drumming, and heading to the river or coast whenever possible. A former band member with a few albums available to stream, she’s always game for a new rhythm or adventure. Her dream job? Working closely with clients to shape a creative vision, assemble the perfect team, and build something that truly sticks–so you could say she’s living the dream!
Blending art and technology is what gives Ryan juice. After getting into computers in junior high he had an inkling that this internet thing might really take off, so he taught himself how to make websites as a way to be on top of that wave. As high school ended Ryan realized he wanted to bring art back to technology, and off he headed to the Art Institute of Portland to focus on graphic design and interactive media design. A Burning Man trip more than a decade ago inspired Ryan to want to make big cool stuff, so he resolved to learn about all things fabrication as a way to combine the artistic with the technical. He’s always loved “exploring niche topics deeply,” and this gave him the opportunity to study the different physical properties of various materials while learning welding, carpentry, machining, metallurgy, electronics, etc. Soon Ryan was fabricating cool stuff like flamethrowers of all sorts, fire tornadoes, and fairy rings of glowing, singing, touch-sensitive mushrooms. A lifetime musician, Ryan manages to keep music active in his life by regularly climbing onto his drum stool and hitting the skins.
Sam is a key fabricator at Figure Plant with a talent for juggling multiple materials–and multiple projects–at once. With a focus on woodworking, fiberglass, and plastics, he’s known for figuring things out on the fly and staying in motion, often working across three or more projects in a single day. Before joining the team, Sam spent years in landscaping, restaurants and every industry in between before discovering a knack for carpentry through festival builds. From there, he worked in framing construction, and eventually landed at Figure Plant, where his skill set, curiosity, and problem-solving mindset quickly found a home. Sam gravitates toward complex, interactive builds and high-precision work, especially anything involving white oak, interactive exhibits, or creative cabinetry. He’s especially proud of his work on the Deschutes Library and loves seeing pieces he’s helped create come to life in the real world. Colleagues know him as steady, resourceful, and highly self-directed, but also ready to collaborate when it counts. Outside of work, Sam can be found swimming, fishing, camping, or travelling the world to build large-scale installations at festivals like Envision in Costa Rica. He once built his own house out of necessity while volunteering there–and it even earned him a promotion. If he’s not in the shop, you might just catch him dreaming of his next big build, or scheming a way onto Survivor.
Susan is another out-of-stater (Idaho, in this case) who couldn’t resist the siren song of Portland after college. Up until then it was all STEMB (science/technology/engineering/math/basketball) all the time. In fact Susan was so mathy in high school that she took classes at the local college. When actual college came around, she headed for the Business Leadership program at the University of Puget Sound with a basketball scholarship (she never could quite dunk, but as a shooting guard/small forward, that’s not what she was there for). After a post-college European travel sojourn Susan landed at Portland advertising colossus Wieden+Kennedy, who soon moved her back to Europe to handle finance for their Amsterdam office. In no time she was leading their broadcast department, and then the editorial offices. Eventually Susan moved to Scotland where she earned a Masters in Construction Project Management (and threw in a year of mechanical engineering while she was at it). Then it was back to Amsterdam briefly before coming home to Portland to start her own general contracting business. Ultimately FP’s good fortune found her here, calmly and efficiently shepherding projects through the shop and out into the world
After eight years on shop floors as a fabricator–mostly working in wood–Taylor traded his tools for CAD software, moving into technical design. Now, he turns client concepts into precise 3D models and detailed shop drawings, using his construction know-how to make sure every idea is as buildable as it is beautiful. His path here wasn’t exactly linear: he once imagined life as a musician or music teacher, but found his rhythm in fabrication, where problem-solving and craft go hand-in-hand. Taylor’s proudest past project? Transforming a vintage ’70s Airstream into a dessert stand that now lives at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena. He values the opportunity to hone his design skills while drawing from his hands-on shop experience, creating technical plans that set projects up for success. Outside of work, you’ll find him cooking elaborate meals, tracking down great cocktails, golfing, or spending summer days on the lake. In another life, he’d be a chef, or someone whose job is simply to travel the world eating incredible food.
Zakk is happiest in wide-open spaces where he can stretch out and explore the edges of creativity and self-expression. Musically, he appreciates all types. As a child in California, whenever they moved Dad always made sure to soundproof the garage right away so he and his older brothers had a place to play. Initially pointed toward guitar and other things with strings, when Zakk discovered his uncle’s drum kit he knew he was home. And when he gets to mix and produce in addition to playing, so much the better. Then there’s skating: pre-planned concrete skate parks are fine, but give Zakk random public spaces that he can turn into his playground. Growing up, he always “skated like crazy,” and was even sponsored by a skate shop and a skate shoe company. As for painting, by the age of ten Zakk had learned from his father and uncle how to mask off interiors and roller paint walls. (He even once got to help paint Roy Roger’s house!) From the get-go he absolutely loved it, and he has never looked back. Artistically, it’s paint, as you’d imagine, but you never know what kind, or what his canvas will be. And if it can be combined with some sort of multimedia presentation (hopefully involving music!) then all is right in his world. Recently a new parent, Zakk and his partner are determined to give their son the same support to cultivate his creative side!
8411 N Denver Ave
Portland, OR 97217
OR CCB# 250929
