UMSL alum Martin Goebel has built an impressive career with his wood furniture. This spring, he’ll be showing pieces at the prestigious 2026 Smithsonian Craft Show, the country’s premier showcase for the finest hand-crafted artisanal works in America. (Photo by Derik Holtmann)

Martin Goebel’s custom wood furniture can be found everywhere from the acclaimed Vicia in St. Louis to Nike’s corporate headquarters in Oregon to the throne of Queen Melambeka in Zambia.

And this spring, the University of Missouri–St. Louis alum and founder of Goebel & Co. Furniture will be showing his designs at the world’s largest museum, education and research complex. Goebel was recently selected to participate in the prestigious 2026 Smithsonian Craft Show, the country’s premier showcase for the finest hand-crafted artisanal works in America.

Goebel, who earned his BFA in studio art from UMSL in 2008, found out he had been selected for the show in late December. He will be one of 120 artisans across all disciplines – and one of only a handful of furniture makers – featured in the show, which will be held from April 23-26 in Washington, D.C. The show spans disciplines of crafts.

“Participating in the Smithsonian Craft Show feels equivalent to being nominated for a James Beard Award, the Oscars or performing at Carnegie Hall,” Goebel said. “It is one of the highest forms of recognition in my field. Being selected at 44 is especially meaningful, as many exhibitors are decades into their careers – people who have spent a lifetime honing their craft. I began at 16 and am approaching 30 years devoted to a singular vocation. To be recognized by the most prestigious craft show, housed in the most prestigious museum in the United States, as one of only a handful of furniture makers is deeply validating.”

With his company, Goebel & Co., UMSL alum Martin Goebel (left) specializes in artisan wood furniture, including coffee tables, bar cabinets, bed frames and more. (Photo by Derik Holtmann)

Every Goebel & Co. piece shown at the Smithsonian Craft Show will be newly designed and created specifically for the show. Goebel said he and his team are pulling out all the stops to create objects that “transcend furniture and move decisively into the realm of decorative arts.”

“I think of exhibitions like this the way I think about competition barbecue: viewers give you only a fleeting moment of attention, and in that moment, everything has to land,” he said. “Just as a single bite must deliver heat, sweet and smoke all at once. These works must deliver design, material and craftsmanship in a way that is immediately unforgettable.”

For the pieces he’s creating for the Smithsonian Craft Show, Goebel will be working with some of the finest hardwoods from across the world, including Zebrano from Cameroon and Amara Ebony from Indonesia, alongside less celebrated Missouri species such as Osage Orange. The pieces will be adorned with mirror-polished machined brass and mother of pearl sourced from New Zealand abalone, which he said were chosen for both their visual synergy with Goebel & Co. designs and their working characteristics.

“I hope the work brings attention to a depth of American craft that is often overlooked in a landscape dominated by fast-fashion furniture and purely utilitarian heirlooms,” Goebel said. “This exhibition represents 30 years of focus, discipline, and uncompromising dedication: keeping my head down, blocking out the noise, and committing fully to the work. I want to show what a local Missouri boy built through that process.”