For nine months a year, Ryan Rebecci brings his extensive knowledge and enthusiasm for oceanography and marine science to the classroom. The best teachers do not only practice what they preach; they recognize the value of open-mindedness and a willingness to learn—two traits the Massachusetts native applies to his secondary career in woodworking.
Rebecchi was born and raised outside Boston in the MetroWest region of Massachusetts, where he resides today. His formative years were full of organized sports, but when he wasn’t on the field, he could be found at the water’s edge—whether he was pond hopping on his bike for largemouth bass or visiting his friend’s summer home in on Cape Cod.
“I was part of the pre-cell-phone generation that would roam free and fish from sunrise to sunset, and nobody was concerned with our whereabouts as long as we were home in time for dinner,” he said. “It’s a different world now, but I try to instill that same sense of adventure in my 7- and 12-year-old boys.”
To fund his fishing habit, a young Rebecchi worked odd jobs until he could afford a jon boat, which he purchased at 18 and owns to this day. “It must be 30 years old at this point, but it still floats and gets the job done.”
Rebecchi went on to study marine biology and secondary education at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island. He wanted nothing more than to be a science teacher and to share his passion with future generations, and after receiving his degree, he achieved that goal. “Today, the largest unit in my courses is Fisheries Conservation and Exploitation. We dive into the development of the whaling industry on the East Coast, discuss modern fisheries conservation practices, and incorporate history and fishing into oceanography. It’s rewarding work, and the kids seem to love it.” Fishing is just as important to him as it is to many of his students. It’s a part of life in New England, and he finds value in making that common connection with the kids beyond their coursework.
Students always wonder what their teachers are up to during the summer months, and while Rebecchi made sure to set aside ample time to fish, he found himself searching for fulfilling work that aligned with his values and personal interests. When he and his wife bought their first home 15 years ago, he first discovered woodworking. “During the move, my wife saw this $4,000 table that she loved, and my dad had the idea to replicate it. The previous homeowner had built a small workspace where he used to fix motorcycles, and initially, we turned it into a home bar and hangout. But that space soon transformed into a fully functional workshop where my father and I recreated that expensive table. That’s where it all started.”
Friends and family members were impressed with the finished product, so much so that Rebecchi and his father began receiving requests for custom wooden furnishings. “Relatives and folks at school caught wind of what we were doing and started donating tools to us, and eventually, I had the urge to start turning wood and building my own plugs for striper fishing.”
Rebecchi bought himself a lathe on Facebook marketplace and began honing his craft. He may not have recognized it at the time, but this new endeavor ignited the same sense of discovery he felt as a kid, bouncing from pond to pond with nothing more than a bike, a fishing rod, and a backpack full of lures.
Over time, Rebecchi’s skills sharpened, and his body of work expanded beyond home furnishings and striper plugs for his personal use. “I’m arguably the least creative in my family,” he chuckled. “My brother is a skilled graphic designer and illustrator, and my mom was a sneaky talented artist and painter. But I fell into this creative lane because I really enjoy the release that comes from working with my hands and building things through trial and error. As a high school teacher, I’ve got to be mentally on all the time, and woodworking allows me to use my brain in an entirely different way than I’m accustomed to.” Rebecchi spends at least 2 or 3 nights a week in the shop, and while it’s therapeutic for him, it’s no walk in the park. Smaller builds, like tables and shelves, turned into large-scale projects as he gained his footing. “My dad and I built a fully covered cook station with cabinet storage on my deck. Our grill, pizza oven, and Blackstone sit under a roof that we made, and that’s something I’m really proud of.”
Rebecchi takes a lot of pride in his work, no matter how big or small the project may be, but he is incredibly humble. “My favorite part of this craft is how appreciative the clients and customers are with their finished product. It is beyond rewarding to build something with my own hands that brings joy and happiness to someone else,” he said. One element that contributes to his sense of pride is the use of reclaimed or repurposed wood.
“I like building furniture, but making wall art is what I enjoy the most because it’s all made from palates that I get from around the world.” Rebecchi’s wall art ranges from professional sports team logos and maps to coastal pieces like striped bass profiles, lighthouse-shaped tide clocks, mermaids, and whales. “I’ve probably made a dozen maps of Cape Cod, which I’m always happy to do because I loved fishing there with my friends growing up,” he said. One of the first maps he ever completed hangs in his home, and it consists of 130 pieces of segmented palate wood. “It’s huge and it weighs a ton, but it’s backlit with LED lights which, in my opinion, makes it an especially cool piece.”
Finding the wood is a fun and adventurous part of his process because he never knows which species he’ll be acquiring, and that adds an element of surprise. “It’s almost like a treasure hunt,” Rebecchi added. “Each type of wood has its own tone and texture, and some of it can be pretty exotic, which gives each piece a unique flare.” He has received palates from 14 or 15 different countries at this point, and he keeps the stamps in his shop to track where different palates have been sourced from. “I enjoy being able to give this otherwise trashed wood a second life and a new home with my customers. But if I bring home more palates, my wife is going to have a serious problem with me,” he laughed.
While most of his wall art is custom or- dered, Rebecchi also receives support from his friends and local businesses. For example, his barber had a handful of pieces on display in the shop, and several customers discovered his work through this sort of public exposure. Other customers find out about his work through school and word of mouth. “A few years ago, a small brewery opened in a neighboring town, but they had no tables, so I offered to make them. It was a paid commission to make six, and now every time I go there, people are socializing and relaxing around these items my father and I built, which I find emotionally rewarding.”
One of Rebecchi’s greatest qualities is that he places no limits on his capabilities. He does not limit himself to wall art and furniture. He’s built mantles, bar carts, holiday decor, rustic bottle openers, and wine stoppers, and more. Regardless of the project, he aims to make every piece hurricane proof so the customer can use or display it indoors or outdoors without warping or being damaged by the elements. “The clear coat resin I use is marine grade, so everything I make is UV protected and built to last outside.” Now, he is incorporating that same resin treatment into his plug-building process. Rebecchi recently wrapped up a topwater lure he calls the Bluefish Bomb—a balanced hunk of wood that he spraypainted yellow and gold before finishing it with a clear coat of resin. “It casts like a missile and swims like a pencil popper,” he said. “I’m excited to try it out in the surf this season.”
In addition to refining his striper and bluefish plugs, Rebecchi would like to spend more time making nautical and fishing-themed wall art. “I’m really leaning into the “coastal rustic” style that exudes a weathered, beachy, Cape Cod vibe because it speaks to my hobbies and lifestyle,” he said. In other words, Rebecchi is not just building tables, maps, wall art, and plugs—he’s preserving the places and experiences that shaped him.
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