Micah Daboub

Micah A. Daboub is a New Mexico-based craftsman and founder of Urban Wood New Mexico, creating custom live-edge furniture from salvaged and fire-affected trees across the Southwest. With a background in biology, his work is grounded in an understanding of natural systems and the passage of time, transforming raw material into sculptural, functional pieces that preserve and tell the story of each tree—from its growth and environment to its transformation through fire and time.

Working primarily with species such as black walnut, juniper, and ponderosa pine, Micah integrates traditional woodworking techniques with modern elements including epoxy and turquoise inlay. Each piece is individually crafted to highlight the natural form, grain, and character of the wood while honoring its origin. Select works incorporate embedded NFC (RFID) technology, allowing collectors to access a digital “Fire Record” that documents the history, species, and provenance of the tree through a simple tap.

His work is held in private collections, featured in galleries throughout Northern New Mexico, and includes a permanent installation in the Regency Room of the presidential offices at New Mexico Highlands University.

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I am the founder of Urban Wood New Mexico.  I create one-of-a-kind furniture from trees lost to wildfire and land clearing across the Southwest.

While teaching biology in Las Vegas, New Mexico, during the Hermits Peak / Calf Canyon Fire of 2022, I witnessed firsthand the destruction and the impact it had on the surrounding community. While walking the burn scar, I came across a massive old-growth ponderosa pine that had survived the fire but was left standing dead.

When I asked what would become of the tree, I was told it would be bulldozed and turned to mulch.

As the wind moved through the ash, the old tree spoke to me — "Once something so great I once was, then something so great I will always be", it said to me.

With what I can only describe as the solemnity of a mortician, I understood my role: to preserve what was left and to give it another life—one that reflects both the loss and the enduring presence of the tree.