The Dot Experience Cast: John Furniss

John, wearing a navy button down and holding his cane smiles while he leans into his wife Anni.

September 26, 2025

John Furniss, or The Blind Woodsman as he is known to his 2.6 million social media followers, is a champion for self-advocacy, mental health, and accessibility.

Vision Loss

At the age of 16, Furniss lost his sight in a near-fatal attempt to take his own life. Following the incident, a lack of proper care and years of substance abuse led to a life-threatening respiratory infection. In 2002, Furniss was brought to the hospital for a major surgery to reconstruct the deteriorating bone in his forehead and stop the fatal infection. Had it not been for the wall of scar tissue that had developed from the incident when he was 16, the infection would have left Furniss with permanent brain damage.

Following the life changing surgery, Furniss began working toward sobriety and a new way of living. He had lost his sight but was beginning to gain a new vision for his future. “I like to say that sight and vision are two different things. Sight helps you see the horizon or the things around you, but vision helps you see beyond the horizons of time and existence, and create things that never were,” said Furniss. In 2005 he began attending vocational rehabilitation in Salt Lake City, where he took a workshop course. With his instructor, Chris, Furniss quickly came to realize what a passion he had for working with his hands and creating art. “I was a great mechanic and a great repairman, but there wasn’t space for blind people in that industry,” said Furniss. That’s when he was directed to a piano tuning school in the state of Washington.

Career

In 2011, John Furniss moved 900 miles away from home to attend a program for blind students to learn about tuning and repairing pianos. The opportunity allowed Furniss to work closely with fine-tuned wood instruments, as well as hone his craftsmen skills. “I was excited. After waiting and waiting for something, it finally came. I felt like I was really finally jumping off. I was finally getting a start,” said Furniss. After his move to Washington, Furniss met his wife Anni, who he attributes his success to. “Anni is such a huge part of this… as well as the love of my life,” said Furniss.

As his work in piano repairs became too physically demanding, Anni encouraged Furniss to return to his real passion: woodwork. After a post on Facebook to Anni’s friends bragging on Furniss’s work, the two realized there were people interested in buying his art. This set off their journey to pursue their careers as full-time artists together. Between artist fairs, and hours of creation, Furniss also found time to speak at local middle and high schools about the importance of mental health. As the 2020 pandemic brought an end to the art fairs and the school speeches, Furniss took to social media.

Initially Furniss’s intention for social media was simply to take the opportunity to speak out on the importance of mental health. However, as viewers began to grow and become more interested in his personal life, Furniss started showcasing his work as an artist. From there, he became The Blind Woodsman. A small account quickly became a place where millions of followers went to see incredible artwork, hear talks on the value of caring for your mental health, and learn more about life as someone who is blind. “If you would have asked me when I was growing up what profession I’d have, a blind, professional woodworker, and artist would not have been on the list,” said Furniss. “All things change. Now becomes then and tomorrow becomes today. If you can embrace that, it can help you through hard times and to move from one thing to another.”