This story was originally published in our Women In Optometry 2020 Gift Guide.
When Frances Scholz, LDO, moved to Alaska 34 years ago, she says that she was lucky to score an apprenticeship and job with an optical lab in Anchorage. She had previously worked for Celestron Telescopes, and this position was as close as she could find to her former experiences. She’s worked in a few opticals over the years and has been with Southside Eyecare & Optical in Anchorage for 23 years.
Scholz says that her husband asked if she wanted to learn woodworking as a way to reconnect when they became empty nesters. “I responded, ‘Sure, if I get to choose the subject matter.'” That was about 13 years ago, and they’ve been creating eyewear-inspired art together ever since.
Her most popular pieces are her hand-crafted business card holders, wall art and signs. She also makes wooden dispensing trays, furniture and much more.
FAVORITE CREATIONS: Scholz has three: a very complicated three-frame table, which now is at College Place Optical in Washington. Next, a blue cat-eye table that is in Minnesota for Stacy Hinkemeyer-Colatrella, OD. Finally, a bench made for Walman Optical that was a giveaway at Vision Expo West.
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