Molly, James and Daphne in the new studio, Madison, WI

Richard in the former studio, Paoli, WI

FORMA Custom Furniture

FORMA Website

Inquiries @ formacustomfurniture@gmail.com

Richard Judd’s early work in architecture and the building trades led to the formation of Richard Judd Furniture in 1983. He opened Zazen Gallery in Paoli, Wisconsin, in 1997. James Papadopoulos, an artist and furniture maker from Chicago, moved to Wisconsin with his wife, Molly, in 2016 and began working with Richard to help construct his furniture. In 2021, Richard Judd and James and Molly Papadopoulos founded FORMA Custom Furniture in Madison, Wisconsin. The legacy of Richard Judd Furniture is at the core of this partnership.

In a world of immediacy, FORMA creates heirloom-quality furniture that instills slower moments of appreciation each day. FORMA draws inspiration from simple designs that highlight crisp lines, natural materials, and handmade traditions.


Richard attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison from 1971-1973 and earned a B.S. in Architecture from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee in 1975. He was a guest lecturer at the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1999, 2000, and 2003. Richard has received numerous awards including a Visual Arts Fellowship: 1992, Wisconsin Arts Board, State of Wisconsin and a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Regional Fellowship Award in Crafts: 1992, Arts Midwest.

Molly is the owner of FORMA: keeping it honest and on course. Her design sensibility drives the business forward. With a degree in Arts Management and 10+ years in the retail industry, her experience with customer first future focused planning, is a critical asset to the continued success of FORMA.

James received his BFA in painting and Art History from the University of Illinois, Chicago and received an MFA in Visual Studies at the Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon. James has been making art objects for the better half of 17 years. He honed his artistic, woodworking, finish carpentry, and welding skills working for art galleries and high-end furniture companies in Chicago and Madison.