Meet Keith Waters

Long before Keith was shaping oak and maple in our Gloucester workshop, he was shaping digital worlds. A pioneer in computer graphics and 3D modeling, he earned a PhD in Computer Graphics from Middlesex Polytechnic, London, and spent decades developing foundational techniques for facial animation and human-computer interaction. His groundbreaking muscle-based models were adopted in the early days of digital filmmaking. As a researcher, innovator, and author of the textbook Computer Facial Animation, Keith’s work combined technical rigor with a deep understanding of form, movement, and design — a perspective that continues to inform the handcrafted objects he creates today.

But alongside a life spent working in code and pixels, Keith always maintained a deep, tactile appreciation for raw materials, physical form, and woodworking. Over the past decade, that personal passion has beautifully transitioned into a full-time creative practice with PilgrimWaters. Today, Keith brings his lifelong understanding of geometric harmony, spatial depth, and architectural framework straight to the studio bench. He handles the structural and physical half of our partnership.

“Moving from algorithms to wood grain wasn’t a departure. It was simply a new way to bring precision, utility, and timeless design into everyday life.”

Keith’s craft — explore our woodcraft collection.

Hand-assembled maple tray stand — precision joinery, built to last.

Every joint cut and fitted by hand in our Gloucester studio.

Susy’s print designs meet Keith’s woodwork — made for each other.

PilgrimWaters is very much a family affair. Meet Susy, Keith’s wife and co-founder — the artist, the illustrator, and the creative force whose original paintings and print designs give every PilgrimWaters piece its soul.