Greg Harkins

Greg Harkins is a Master Chairmaker with 50 years of experience crafting heirloom-quality furniture. He is best known for his iconic, finely balanced rocking chairs. Over the course of his career, Greg has earned national and international recognition through countless festivals, exhibitions, and media features that celebrate his artistry and devotion to traditional woodworking.

Raised in Jackson, Greg is a seventh-generation Mississippi Irish Catholic whose deep respect for family, faith, and place infuses every chair he makes. He spent his summers in Thomastown, where, in 1976, he began an apprenticeship under Master Chairmaker Tom Bell. By 1978, Greg had turned his craft into a calling by founding Harkins Woodworks in Vaughan, Mississippi.

Greg’s work has traveled far beyond the South. His chairs grace homes in all 50 states and in more than 35 countries, a testament to his belief that functional art can connect people across generations and geographies. He has personally gifted chairs to six U.S. Presidents and to Pope John Paul II, yet he maintains that the true honor lies in building for everyday Mississippians  whose stories inspire his craftsmanship.

As both artisan and cultural ambassador, Greg has dedicated his life to preserving and passing on Mississippi’s legacy of handcraft and hospitality. He insalled a monumental 10-foot-tall Harkins Chair at the Mississippi Agricultural Museum, where it stands as a beloved landmark. In February 2026, he will be awarded the Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Traditional Craft.

Now entering his sixth decade of woodworking, Greg continues to teach and mentor his apprentice, Hodges Boland, ensuring that the lineage of craftsmanship he inherited continues to thrive.