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KD CLINE
KD Cline spent his early childhood in Texas and inherited his love of woodworking from his father. Even as a youngster Ken was fascinated with woodworking and design. He built several soapbox derby cars and competed in the derby in Midland, Texas until his family moved to Nebraska when he was 13. He continued building cars and won the All-American Soapbox Derby World Championship in Akron, Ohio in 1967. His car, dubbed “the grasshopper”, was a completely new design within the soapbox derby and along with the world championship the car won the Best Design award. Ken and his car traveled across the US, attending the World Auto Show in New York and the Detroit Auto Show. He attended other media events, received the key to New York City from Mayor John Lindsay and the “Eyes on Nebraska” award for the most notable Nebraskan of 1967. Ken’s car has been all over the world in auto shows and sports shows and is still considered the most revolutionary car in the soapbox derby’s 73 year history. After the derby Ken competed as an amateur boxer and was a Nebraska golden gloves champ. During and after college Ken continued woodworking and found that he particularly enjoyed rebuilding and restoring antique furniture, as well as creating unique furnishings from antiques or parts of antiques that would otherwise be thrown away.
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Green before “being green” was popular, Ken reclaims and recycles from various sources as much wood, hardware, and other vintage material as possible for his creations. Besides refinishing furniture, he has restored several houses in Nebraska and Illinois. In the mid-1990’s Ken coincidentally entered a woodworking competition for picture frames and his entry won the competition. Since that time he has developed a distinctive style and design for his frames and enjoys creating one-of-a-kind custom frames for art and mirrors. Ken spent over 30 years with the Burlington Northern Railroad working throughout the Midwestern United States, before leaving to own and manage his own railroad construction business for several years. Ken still provides consulting and training services in his area of expertise to railroads and railroad contractors throughout the United States. In 2008 Ken and his wife Angie opened Sweet Mesquite Designs in the historic Watkins Texaco building in Llano, Texas. The store has a selection of Ken’s furniture, frames, and mesquite creations. Custom orders are welcome. In addition to Ken’s mesquite work and antique refinishing services, the store has much more to offer including custom framing, photo restoration services, unique gifts, fine western art, blown glass, music, and books by local and regional artists. |