Showing posts with label furniture I love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label furniture I love. Show all posts
Furniture I Love: Walnut Street Woodworks Edition
It's always good to see what's going on over at Etsy. Check out this amazing headboard from Walnut Street Woodworks.Via Cup of Jo
Furniture I Love: Susan Link Edition
I found out about Susan Link's work in an ad for the Focus on Furniture show at Handmade in America. The show is up until August 14 in the furniture mecca of Asheville, North Carolina.
You can get an idea of the range of Susan's work by looking at her two treatments of the buffet. The Craftsman Buffet (above) is light and dynamic and has an uncluttered design featuring a floating top. The Fired up Buffet (below) is similar in design and function, but much more dramatic with its use of ambient lighting.
I also want to point out her walnut/curly maple end table. It's a straightforward table done very well and shows some great choices in contrasting woods.
On the imaginative side of the spectrum is the wall shelf she calls Morning Jazz. It's completely functional in that it contains a mirror, drawers for small items like keys or jewelry and the shelf. But it also shows her creativity and humor. I'm sure working with all those complex angles was no small feat.
See more of Susan Link's work at linkwoodworks.com.
Photos credits: Craftsman Buffet and Fired Up by Tim Barnwel, Morning Jazz by Bob Gibson.
Furniture I Love: Clark Kellogg Edition
I'm really impressed by Clark Kellogg's work. I first saw an example of it featured in Fine Woodworking’s “Furniture: 102 Contemporary Designs” Special Issue, 2008. Called "10 Small Boxes Huddled Together for Warmth," this wall-mounted piece is an exercise in proportion. If I had conceived a project like this, I probably would have stopped with simply putting all the boxes together or making it complicated by integrating the boxes somehow. It's much more interesting that the boxes are separated slightly or at least have the illusion of being separated by recessed, ebonized spacers. To go another step in showing attention to detail, Kellogg framed out the holes that serve as door and drawer pulls. This is one of those pieces that shows incredible design talent combined with excellent craftsmanship.
Though Kellogg makes the full range of seating, tables and casegoods, I want to feature another box. This one was commissioned to store CDs and has an ingenious recessed tray to hold an iPod. The box also allows the iPod to be charged. This piece, though small in size, involves the full range of woodworking skills and is executed flawlessly. See how he cut the dovetails by hand here.
With training from both the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine and the College of the Redwoods in California, Kellogg has skills beyond his years. His Double-Trestle Desk is one of the best interpretations of the Arts & Crafts style I've seen in a long time.
I encourage furniture makers and furniture appreciators both to explore Clark's website, as it shows more of his beautiful work and includes his thoughts on design and construction. Check it out at www.kelloggfurniture.com.
Photo of the wall boxes by Jim Dugan; photos of Double-Trestle Desk by Patrick Bertolino.
Furniture I Love: Marc Spagnuolo Edition
Before he ever whispered to a piece of wood, Marc Spagnuolo was developing his skills as a designer and woodworker. As part of his training, Marc served as an apprentice to David Marks, of "Wood Works" (on the DIY Network) fame.
In the last few years, Marc has managed, with the help of his wife, to combine his woodworking skills, his love of technology and his natural teaching ability into the Interblog phenomenon that is The Wood Whisperer. To me, the most valuable aspect of his blog is the message of trusting your instincts and just getting in there and trying.
That said, it's important to remember that it all started with making furniture. Marc is an excellent craftsman, and I'm happy to be able to feature some of his work. The pieces I love the most are the ones that seem the most organic. Have a look at some of them below and check out the gallery on his website.
Aside from the beauty and quality of this keepsake box, I wanted to feature it because if you look behind it -- on the couch -- you'll see a video game controller! Nerd Alert!
I wish Marc the best in growing his empire and hope that he continues to use his considerable talent for good and not evil. I appreciate all he has done for his fellow woodworking bloggers. You can find him at www.thewoodwhisperer.com.
In the last few years, Marc has managed, with the help of his wife, to combine his woodworking skills, his love of technology and his natural teaching ability into the Interblog phenomenon that is The Wood Whisperer. To me, the most valuable aspect of his blog is the message of trusting your instincts and just getting in there and trying.
That said, it's important to remember that it all started with making furniture. Marc is an excellent craftsman, and I'm happy to be able to feature some of his work. The pieces I love the most are the ones that seem the most organic. Have a look at some of them below and check out the gallery on his website.
Aside from the beauty and quality of this keepsake box, I wanted to feature it because if you look behind it -- on the couch -- you'll see a video game controller! Nerd Alert!
I wish Marc the best in growing his empire and hope that he continues to use his considerable talent for good and not evil. I appreciate all he has done for his fellow woodworking bloggers. You can find him at www.thewoodwhisperer.com.
Furnitude I Love: Paul Duffy Edition
Intrigued by what I saw on his website, I asked Paul Duffy, from Sómhar Furniture Design in Ireland, what he meant when he described his furniture, which is beautiful and even novel in its use of surface texture, as being "uniquely Irish." Paul responded that "apart from the unique Irish landscape which provides both inspiration and clarity of thought, the Irish have a great way of getting the best out of what's available."
That's a great segue into his efforts at being more responsible with the materials he uses for his furniture. He sources Irish hardwoods locally whenever possible and plans his milling carefully to get the best possible yield from the lumber. I like his view of the larger ecological picture and respect the range of his efforts, from reducing travel to meet clients by using the Internet in the design process to using scrap wood in the energy-efficient burner that heats his home. I also had to know about the word "Sómhar" from the monicker of his enterprise, which he said translates into "comfortable and luxurious." As you'll see, that is a fitting description for his work. Check out these chairs with their clean, fluid backs and the wedged through-tenon construction. I love the texture on the seat.
He uses a similar texturing technique in this beautiful hall table.
Finally, I love his Driftwood Table with inlaid curves mimicking the Irish coastline and the flow of water.
Visit Paul's website at www.somhar.com to see more of his work and read about his philosophy of making furniture.
That's a great segue into his efforts at being more responsible with the materials he uses for his furniture. He sources Irish hardwoods locally whenever possible and plans his milling carefully to get the best possible yield from the lumber. I like his view of the larger ecological picture and respect the range of his efforts, from reducing travel to meet clients by using the Internet in the design process to using scrap wood in the energy-efficient burner that heats his home. I also had to know about the word "Sómhar" from the monicker of his enterprise, which he said translates into "comfortable and luxurious." As you'll see, that is a fitting description for his work. Check out these chairs with their clean, fluid backs and the wedged through-tenon construction. I love the texture on the seat.
He uses a similar texturing technique in this beautiful hall table.
Finally, I love his Driftwood Table with inlaid curves mimicking the Irish coastline and the flow of water.
Visit Paul's website at www.somhar.com to see more of his work and read about his philosophy of making furniture.
Furniture I Love: Craig Yamamoto Edition
I love to see examples of artists taking clearly defined influences and transforming them with personal vision into original creations. That's what Craig Yamamoto does with his Japanese- and Shaker-influenced work. If you start with quality craftsmanship and an eye for proportion and add exceptional wood treated with respect and reverence, you end up with uniquely beautiful furniture.
I especially love Yamamoto's take on the Tansu -- an upright version to accomodate a client's needs.
Check out his adjustable music stand. I know the butterfly key can be overused (guilty as charged!), but in this case it saves a beautiful piece of wood from the scrap heap and looks beautiful doing so. The craftsmanship of the adjustment mechanism is off the charts.
I'll end with his Trestle Base Zataku Table.
There's a lot of furniture and great detail photos on Craig's website, so have a look around. You can find it at www.yamamotowoodworker.com.
I especially love Yamamoto's take on the Tansu -- an upright version to accomodate a client's needs.
Check out his adjustable music stand. I know the butterfly key can be overused (guilty as charged!), but in this case it saves a beautiful piece of wood from the scrap heap and looks beautiful doing so. The craftsmanship of the adjustment mechanism is off the charts.
I'll end with his Trestle Base Zataku Table.
There's a lot of furniture and great detail photos on Craig's website, so have a look around. You can find it at www.yamamotowoodworker.com.
Furniture I Love: Caleb Woodard Edition
A former Tennessean, Caleb Woodard lives and makes custom furniture in the Washington, DC, area. His work was recently featured in the McLean Project for the Arts Artfest. When I lived in Washington many years ago, I attended that show and was impressed by the quality of the work. I love the way Caleb is willing to experiment with shapes other than the typical squares and rectangles. His South Beach Coffee Table is a case in point. The elliptical top made of spalted maple suggests the shape of a surf board. I love how the legs are classic (even Mid-Century Modern) and let the top be the star of the show.
One of the first pieces that caught my eye was the Elm Trunk Lounge Chair. Made of a chunk of spalted grey elm burl, it is rustic and modern at the same time.
Though it's not a piece of furniture, I also wanted to show this maple bowl. I love the shape and the texture of the gouges he used to make it. This piece, along with the rest of his work, honors Caleb's intention to make each thing personal -- a reflection of the maker that shows the marks of being made by hand.
To see more of Caleb's work, visit his website at www.calebwoodardfurniture.com.
One of the first pieces that caught my eye was the Elm Trunk Lounge Chair. Made of a chunk of spalted grey elm burl, it is rustic and modern at the same time.
Though it's not a piece of furniture, I also wanted to show this maple bowl. I love the shape and the texture of the gouges he used to make it. This piece, along with the rest of his work, honors Caleb's intention to make each thing personal -- a reflection of the maker that shows the marks of being made by hand.
To see more of Caleb's work, visit his website at www.calebwoodardfurniture.com.
Furniture I Love: Jason Henderson Edition
With his work in rustic furniture, Jason Henderson is doing things I’m not seeing other people do – and that’s saying a lot. But not only that, his pieces challenge me to step out of my comfort zone and will hopefully challenge you as well.
I absolutely love when the true nature of wood – no, the true nature of a specific piece of wood -- is kept in as natural a state as possible in a piece of furniture to show the contrast between what nature presented and what a maker manipulated to fit his or her own vision. I love furniture that features wood with a live edge or a knot or crack. I especially love it when the furniture has one or all of these features and then alongside it or part of it there is something completely refined. The contrast is striking but each aspect speaks to the potential of the other.
So if you think you've seen enough rustic or "twig" furniture, prepare to be wowed. You can see more of Jason Henderson's work at www.jason-henderson.com.
Photo by Stock Studios Photography.
I absolutely love when the true nature of wood – no, the true nature of a specific piece of wood -- is kept in as natural a state as possible in a piece of furniture to show the contrast between what nature presented and what a maker manipulated to fit his or her own vision. I love furniture that features wood with a live edge or a knot or crack. I especially love it when the furniture has one or all of these features and then alongside it or part of it there is something completely refined. The contrast is striking but each aspect speaks to the potential of the other.
So if you think you've seen enough rustic or "twig" furniture, prepare to be wowed. You can see more of Jason Henderson's work at www.jason-henderson.com.
Photo by Stock Studios Photography.
Furniture I Love: Adam King Edition
There are lots of features that recommend Adam King's furniture, but there are a couple in particular that set his work apart.
The first is the details. It's not just that Adam pays attention to detail; it's that he has an excellent imagination for creating the right detail for the right place in the right piece. His Ginkgo Table is a case in point. The inlay of the Ginkgo leaf is beautiful and shows Adam's level of skill and artistry, but my favorite detail is the breadboard ends. The fact that he made the top with breadboard ends in the first place speaks volumes about Adam's intentions with his furniture. You could get away with a top that small (27" by 21") not having breadboard ends. However, Adam goes to extra effort to ensure that the top will always be stable. The side benefit, and it makes the piece, is that the breadboard ends are so beautiful and done so well.
Another feature I love is the curved legs on this Display Table. If you imagine the piece with straight, square legs, it's still a beautiful piece. However, the subtle curves give the table lift and movement. The only risk with owning a Display Table this beautiful is that it will outshine the object it's displaying!
The other piece I want to highlight is his butternut Tansu. I love the dovetails (see a photo on Adam's website), but I'm also really impressed with the doors. The panels are figured walnut and cypress. Very cool.
To see more of Adam King's work, check out his website at http://www.adamkingstudio.com/. While you're there, be sure to check out his blog as well.
The first is the details. It's not just that Adam pays attention to detail; it's that he has an excellent imagination for creating the right detail for the right place in the right piece. His Ginkgo Table is a case in point. The inlay of the Ginkgo leaf is beautiful and shows Adam's level of skill and artistry, but my favorite detail is the breadboard ends. The fact that he made the top with breadboard ends in the first place speaks volumes about Adam's intentions with his furniture. You could get away with a top that small (27" by 21") not having breadboard ends. However, Adam goes to extra effort to ensure that the top will always be stable. The side benefit, and it makes the piece, is that the breadboard ends are so beautiful and done so well.
Another feature I love is the curved legs on this Display Table. If you imagine the piece with straight, square legs, it's still a beautiful piece. However, the subtle curves give the table lift and movement. The only risk with owning a Display Table this beautiful is that it will outshine the object it's displaying!
The other piece I want to highlight is his butternut Tansu. I love the dovetails (see a photo on Adam's website), but I'm also really impressed with the doors. The panels are figured walnut and cypress. Very cool.
To see more of Adam King's work, check out his website at http://www.adamkingstudio.com/. While you're there, be sure to check out his blog as well.
Update: photos are by David Bilingsly.
Furniture I Love: Tom Loeser Edition
Ok, I don't love all of Tom Loeser's furniture. I love some of it and hate some of it. Maybe that means he's getting somewhere. I found out about Tom Loeser from an article in the current (December/January 2009) edition of American Craft Magazine. Call it gimmicky, call it academic, call it too clever by half, call it anything you want -- but you have to admit there is a lot of imagination going on in his work. And it appears that the pieces are executed with solid craftsmanship.
Some of Loeser's work makes me think about what constitutes a piece of furniture in the first place. Don't get bogged down in it, but that's a question I believe furniture makers should ask themselves from time to time. Thinking about it can open your mind to new possibilities. And it can help you avoid taking yourself and your craft toooooo seriously.
Loeser's work can be seen at www.tomloeser.com. There's a lot of stuff on his site. In his gallery section, be sure to look at the chests of drawers. I love the cabinets (in the first two rows of photographs) with drawers within drawers (and sometimes within more drawers still!). I've thought of doing that before but haven't acted on it. Drat!
Also check out the "forest furniture germany" and "flotilla" sections. You can find American Craft Magazine at www.americancraftmag.org.
I hope you enjoy Loeser's work. Or hate it.
Some of Loeser's work makes me think about what constitutes a piece of furniture in the first place. Don't get bogged down in it, but that's a question I believe furniture makers should ask themselves from time to time. Thinking about it can open your mind to new possibilities. And it can help you avoid taking yourself and your craft toooooo seriously.
Loeser's work can be seen at www.tomloeser.com. There's a lot of stuff on his site. In his gallery section, be sure to look at the chests of drawers. I love the cabinets (in the first two rows of photographs) with drawers within drawers (and sometimes within more drawers still!). I've thought of doing that before but haven't acted on it. Drat!
Also check out the "forest furniture germany" and "flotilla" sections. You can find American Craft Magazine at www.americancraftmag.org.
I hope you enjoy Loeser's work. Or hate it.
Furniture I Love: Timothy Coleman Edition
I'm happy to feature the work of a fellow English major, Timothy Coleman. Timothy got his training at the College of the Redwoods and that is obvious in the level of craftsmanship in his furniture. I see it in the faired curves, the proportions and the precisely fitted, coopered doors. But beyond that, he has his own particular style.
He gets all the big stuff right, but then adds so much to each piece by supplying incredible details. I'm fascinated by the way he adds patterns to his work. Be sure to check out the publications section on his website, where he has teasers of articles he's written for Fine Woodworking explaining his technique. You can find the full articles online if you have a subscription to Finewoodworking.com.
Try to imagine these pieces without the patterns to see if they stand up without them. While it's impossible to do, it's still a good exercise. I'm sure the pieces would still be amazing, but the patterns actually make you appreciate the structure of each piece that much more by leading your eye around the perimeter or the interior, depending on where he places the patterns. The patterns make you look at these pieces in a fresh way.
I'm particularly impressed at how he uses woods like yew and English sycamore to add subtle contrasts. I tend to resort to the knock-you-over-the-head, dark-vs.-light contrast in my own work, so it's helpful to see how subtle grades of darkness and lightness can make a piece of furniture richer and more balanced.
Timothy has a great website, so be sure to check out all the sections. You can see more of his work at www.timothycoleman.com.
Photo credits: "Yew and Me" by Charley Freiburg, "Criss Cross" by Will Elwell and "Temple Cabinet" by Dean Powell.
He gets all the big stuff right, but then adds so much to each piece by supplying incredible details. I'm fascinated by the way he adds patterns to his work. Be sure to check out the publications section on his website, where he has teasers of articles he's written for Fine Woodworking explaining his technique. You can find the full articles online if you have a subscription to Finewoodworking.com.
Try to imagine these pieces without the patterns to see if they stand up without them. While it's impossible to do, it's still a good exercise. I'm sure the pieces would still be amazing, but the patterns actually make you appreciate the structure of each piece that much more by leading your eye around the perimeter or the interior, depending on where he places the patterns. The patterns make you look at these pieces in a fresh way.
I'm particularly impressed at how he uses woods like yew and English sycamore to add subtle contrasts. I tend to resort to the knock-you-over-the-head, dark-vs.-light contrast in my own work, so it's helpful to see how subtle grades of darkness and lightness can make a piece of furniture richer and more balanced.
Timothy has a great website, so be sure to check out all the sections. You can see more of his work at www.timothycoleman.com.
Photo credits: "Yew and Me" by Charley Freiburg, "Criss Cross" by Will Elwell and "Temple Cabinet" by Dean Powell.
Furniture I Love: Leslie Webb Edition
In Leslie Webb's furniture, you can immediately see an active imagination at play. This may sound strange, but her work strikes me as being very visual. I don't just mean that it's beautiful, though it is. I also don't mean that it is only about its appearance -- it certainly has function as well as form. But there are so many visually interesting elements that you can't help but be drawn to look at it.
To step away from furniture for a moment, she makes something to hold flowers that you can't really call a vase. It is a gesture in and of itself. She calls it a Shosh. To me it suggests a dealer spreading out a hand of cards.
Then for something completely different, I love a piece she calls Lainie. To call it a CD case or a storage unit would be a travesty, though it is those things. Again, this is great imagination at play.
One more thing I'll feature is her gorgeous room divider. It almost looks like something Frank Gehry would make but with more subtlety.
Leslie's work will be shown in the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show in November. If you're anywhere close, it looks like it's going to be a great show.
I look forward to seeing more of Leslie's work. Check out more of her furniture and details of the above pieces at www.lewebb.com.
All photos by Leslie Webb.
To step away from furniture for a moment, she makes something to hold flowers that you can't really call a vase. It is a gesture in and of itself. She calls it a Shosh. To me it suggests a dealer spreading out a hand of cards.
Then for something completely different, I love a piece she calls Lainie. To call it a CD case or a storage unit would be a travesty, though it is those things. Again, this is great imagination at play.
One more thing I'll feature is her gorgeous room divider. It almost looks like something Frank Gehry would make but with more subtlety.
Leslie's work will be shown in the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show in November. If you're anywhere close, it looks like it's going to be a great show.
I look forward to seeing more of Leslie's work. Check out more of her furniture and details of the above pieces at www.lewebb.com.
All photos by Leslie Webb.
Furniture I Love: Matthew Werner Edition
One of the great things about writing this blog is that I get to meet (at least through email) so many incredible woodworkers. Matthew Werner stumbled upon my blog at some point and dropped me a line. Sometimes when I’m wondering whether I should even be writing a blog in the first place (and believe me, there are times when I wonder!), something like that happens and makes it all worth it.
So I’m pleased to feature the work of Matthew Werner, who lives in Santa Cruz, CA, and studied under James Krenov. In his work, it seems like there could be no other proportions than the ones he presents. Of course, that level of gracefulness is the result of dozens of decisions – small and large – that go into making fine furniture. Any one of them in the wrong direction could doom the piece to being clunky or flimsy. But through skill and experience, Matthew manages to make the right decision every time.
I’m especially fond of this display cabinet. The piece itself is high-wire act. Since you can see inside the piece from almost any angle, there’s no place to hide mistakes or shortcuts. But then he adds just the right detail in just the right spot, from the amazing marquetry of the tropical flowers to the subtle brass inlay at the taper of the legs.
I also love the balance of the Chickadee Music Stand.
In this detail shot of his Chickadee Bed, the spalted maple background for the marquetry seems to be its own artistic vision of the sky.
I encourage you to read Matthew’s bio in which he describes his technique for doing marquetry and lists his goals as integrity and artistry. For more of Matthew Werner’s inspiring work, see his website at www.matthewwernerfurniture.com.
Photos by Paul Titangos.
So I’m pleased to feature the work of Matthew Werner, who lives in Santa Cruz, CA, and studied under James Krenov. In his work, it seems like there could be no other proportions than the ones he presents. Of course, that level of gracefulness is the result of dozens of decisions – small and large – that go into making fine furniture. Any one of them in the wrong direction could doom the piece to being clunky or flimsy. But through skill and experience, Matthew manages to make the right decision every time.
I’m especially fond of this display cabinet. The piece itself is high-wire act. Since you can see inside the piece from almost any angle, there’s no place to hide mistakes or shortcuts. But then he adds just the right detail in just the right spot, from the amazing marquetry of the tropical flowers to the subtle brass inlay at the taper of the legs.
I also love the balance of the Chickadee Music Stand.
In this detail shot of his Chickadee Bed, the spalted maple background for the marquetry seems to be its own artistic vision of the sky.
I encourage you to read Matthew’s bio in which he describes his technique for doing marquetry and lists his goals as integrity and artistry. For more of Matthew Werner’s inspiring work, see his website at www.matthewwernerfurniture.com.
Photos by Paul Titangos.
Furniture I Love: Jennifer Anderson Edition
Furniture obsessive (or nerd) that I am, I found out about Jennifer Anderson's important work by clicking through everything in the gallery at the College of the Redwood's website. I'm really glad I found her work. She has excellent ideas about furniture and executes them impeccably. In a short time, she has assembled a body of work that is as impressive as it is imaginative. Looking over the work on her site, I was struck by how many pieces I've seen featured in design magazines. See her "press" section for some examples.
Here is a piece firmly in the James Krenov tradition -- a lingerie cabinet (in Europa, figured maple, Spanish cedar) that is beautiful inside and out.
I absolutely love this group of chairs (made of walnut, polyethylene, and industrial felt) she has playfully named "Drove":
Here is a piece firmly in the James Krenov tradition -- a lingerie cabinet (in Europa, figured maple, Spanish cedar) that is beautiful inside and out.
I absolutely love this group of chairs (made of walnut, polyethylene, and industrial felt) she has playfully named "Drove":
I almost described her work as 'clean' but thankfully I stopped myself before committing that crime. 'Clean' is one of those cliches in the design world (almost as bad as calling Shaker furniture 'simple') that doesn't capture complexity and has the negative connotation of sterile. Anderson’s work is anything but sterile. I think what I mean to say is that the work is elemental and restrained and at the same time powerful and totally fresh. As you will see in the rest of her work, Anderson is a maker you should pay attention to.
I especially admire her examination of textures and shapes and combinations of wood and fabric. I asked her a couple questions about her vision for furniture making. This is my first foray into doing an interview, so I really appreciate Jennifer's willingness to participate. It's fascinating to get an idea of what went into her decision-making process and instructive to know how the design process is as much about editing as it is about generating ideas.
Furnitude: I love your Echo Chaise and your Conversation chairs. The surfaces are fascinating. For the Echo Chaise, what is the piece made out of?
JA: The Echo Chaise is made from industrial felt, plywood, maple veneer and steel.
Furnitude: How did you arrive at the shape? Did you make mock-ups?
JA: The shape evolved from my desire to create the piece as a multi-functional seating object. I designed it with the idea of using it in four different ways: 1. As a typical chaise with your head on the bolster pillow (not pictured) at the top hump and your feet at the bottom hump. 2. As a tall stool, sitting on the top hump with your feet facing the side. 3. As a short stool, sitting on the lower hump with your feet facing the side. 4. As an inversion chaise with your feet on the top hump and your head on the lower hump.
Instead of making a full-scale mock-up I did full-scale sketches. To figure out the basic curve shape I placed large paper on the ground, laid on top of it on my side in a reclined position, and had someone trace my body. From that rough sketch I refined the shape making sure that I could get the curve out of a sheet of 4' x 8' ply.
Furnitude: For the Conversation chairs, the impression of the human torso is amazing. What are the seats made of? Are the impressions sculpted or are they made from a cast?
JA: The seats of Conversation are made of fiberglass and pig suede.
The method I used for creating the seats is similar to the technique used for making custom seats in racecars. First, I fabricated a small box or compartment that I could sit in. There were two planes in the box. One plane was for the seat and the other plane was for the seat back. I mixed a two-part expandable foam in plastic garbage bags, placed the bags in the container, and positioned myself on them. I sat completely still for about three minutes and waited for the foam to expand harden around me. Once the foam was hard I carefully removed myself from the compartment. I used the hardened foam as a form to fiberglass over. Once the fiberglass parts were cut to size I had a leather worker skin them with the pig suede.
Furnitude: What was your vision for Conversation?
My inspiration for Conversation came from my observation that an empty chair often says more than a chair with somebody in it, and from the idea that an object can capture a moment in time. This piece is not about custom molding chairs to fit a person’s body, nor are they about physical comfort. On the contrary, these chairs are meant to be slightly uncomfortable. My hope is that the user will move around in an attempt to ‘fit’, ultimately finding themselves in a position and posture that is not their own. Hopefully they will begin to think about the conversation in which the two people might have been engaged in, and will begin to think of conversations and memories of their own.
Check out her bio section to learn about her training and the work she's doing now. I will include another of Jennifer's pieces, a rocking chair, in an upcoming post. In the meantime, have a look at an artist who is beyond up and coming but at the beginning of what will no doubt be a stellar career in furniture making.
The website for Jennifer Anderson Studio Furniture is http://www.jenniferandersonstudio.com/.
Photos are by Larry Stanley.
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