About Us

Hi, I’m Lindsay Morris—the founder, inventor, wood connoisseur, accidental engineer, and proud Chief Everything Else Officer behind the Linear Clock.

After building three successful software companies, I thought I had a decent handle on how to bring ideas to life. But then a new question grabbed me and wouldn’t let go:  “What if clocks were linear, not round?”

I couldn't let it go. I became enthused with the idea of creating a timepiece that moves in a straight line—a clean, elegant, and oh-so-sensible alternative to traditional clocks. I designed the concept, refined the materials, and realized I’d need a little something extra to make it real: electronics.

So, heading into my 60s, I dove in—taught myself circuit design, and spent a solid year placing microscopic components onto circuit boards by hand, with a success rate that can generously be described as "experimental." Eventually, I teamed up with a professional electronics house staffed with robots and seasoned engineers. Things are much smoother now, and I get a lot less side-eye from the soldering iron.

Then, quite surprising: a year into the journey, I received an email from a customer:  “My dad has Alzheimer’s. He can’t read a round clock anymore—that’s the first thing to go. But he can totally read your clocks!”

Well, dang, I thought. Really? So I looked into it. It turns out that many neurodiverse people—including those with Autism, ADHD, and Dyslexia—find round clocks confusing. But our Linear clocks make intuitive sense. That realization led to the creation of the ClearTime™ clock—a readable, affordable version of our Linear Clock designed specifically to support that community.

But our primary focus has always been "unique and gorgeous".  Our hardwood clocks are bold, beautiful, and big. Crafted from carefully selected exotic woods, they span 3 to 7 feet in length and make stunning works of functional art. I often have the privilege of installing these as statement pieces in stunning homes—often million-dollar mountain escapes and modern architectural gems.

Today, my small and talented team and I handcraft 5 to 10 clocks a week in our shop. Each one is built with care, precision, and a genuine love for both the craft and the concept.

And according to our daily Google alerts, no one else in the world is making anything like this.

Founded in 2017 by Ted and Deborah Nutz, *Two Knotty Squirrels* is the culmination of a shared vision to bring their clients' dreams to life through the art of woodworking. With 26 years of combined experience in the United States Marine Corps, Ted and Deborah’s partnership is grounded in a deep understanding of teamwork, planning, and precision. Their distinct skill sets—Ted's military-trained planning and technical expertise, paired with Deborah’s innate creativity and organizational prowess—have made them a powerhouse team in both execution and artistry.

Woodworking is more than just a craft for the Nutz family; it's a legacy. Ted’s grandfather, Sibert, and his uncle, Doug Shoop, were both master craftsmen whose works became treasured family heirlooms. Growing up in this environment, Ted developed a passion for creating lasting pieces, while Deborah's skills in design and coordination allowed them to turn those visions into reality. Together, they have spent over 30 years honing their craft, creating custom pieces for friends, family, and beyond.

For three decades, Ted and Deborah worked out of makeshift workshops—garages, basements, and other spare spaces—perfecting their craft. In 2021, they expanded their operation into a fully dedicated, well-equipped woodshop, which includes a mid-sized Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) router, enabling them to create intricate, detailed custom inlays for a wide range of projects.

At Two Knotty Squirrels, each piece they create is the product of a deep commitment to craftsmanship, creativity, and the power of collaboration. Ted and Deborah’s work is not just about building products; it’s about bringing dreams into tangible form, one knotty piece of wood at a time.

Woodlander Glass
Trees in glass

Travers Thurman is a flameworker and glass artist based in the mountains of Western North Carolina, where he creates intricate borosilicate glass marbles and paperweights, specializing in encasing detailed tree forms in clear glass. For Linear Clockworks, he makes pointers by torch-fuming gold and silver leaf onto wet glass. The outcome is very unpredictable but always beautiful!

His process involves mixing colors into cane, drawing them down into fine stringers, and using these to handcraft elements of the trees. Through careful placement of semitransparent colors and layers of clear, he aims to mimic the effect of light passing through leaves when the artwork is backlit. This technique requires precision to avoid bubbles and burn marks.

Inspired by Impressionism, Thurman adapts the concept of mixing colors intentionally to convey a wealth of information with each individual mark, creating a rich visual texture in the three-dimensional space of glass. After debuting his tree series at the Marbles in the Mountains show in 2022 at Level 42 Gallery in Asheville, NC, where he sold out his collection, Thurman embraced his focus on this distinctive style. He continues to work from a private studio in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina, drawing constant inspiration from the natural world that surrounds him.