Mock Up For Owen

Here is the mock up for Owens bedside table.

Since it will be made of old doors, I thought that it would be nice to us
the glass knobs as feet; it’s the self referential thing,
The back leg detail is from an old piece of furniture I saw in Montreal by the side of the road in the 80ies.
It was a small dresser if I remember correctly, I wish now that I would have put it in the back of my truck and brought it home.
When saw it, I thought to myself that it was a very inventive way to make a back foot. They had used the side of the piece to create a foot.
At the time I was still in University working on my Fine Art Degree so I never thought that this design element would make its way into my vocabulary as a furniture designer maker.
I do not know if it is a Canadian design detail but I will assume that it is and quote the source as such.
I have since glued up the Bed Side Table. The inside and exposed edges are painted black. The rest of the carcass is mitred so that the finish that was on the doors originally wraps around the exterior surface.
It looks like a patch work quilt.
When there is a bit of down time in the studio, I will make a jig to cut out the back feet.
Right now I am working on panels and frames for shows that are coming up next month.

The View From My Bench

Repurposed Wood

Here is a piece that I was working on just before I moved to the Studio.

I repurposed some wood for this stool and also found a home for a sign that I have been carrying around for quite some time.

I also have a low stool that follows the same design principal of repurposed wood. Sadie has claimed that one for her bedroom.

The idea with this line of products is that furniture need not be made of the most expensive exotic hard woods to be considered furniture,I hope that good design can overcome what some may feel is a short fall when it comes to material choise.

I have seen rocking chairs made of hockey sticks and cottage deck chairs made from some water skis that looked really amazing.

I will keep exploring this idea and keep you posted. Next on the list is a bedside table for Owen my son. It will be made of old doors that I have resawn . I will try to post images soon.

A W O L

I have been busy these days working on some new ideas around texting as a language.

After some research I found out that it is really not new nor is it an easy thing to do (invent a new language as it were)

Texting or abbreviations go way back to the war era and even further M I A (missing in action) R I P (Rest in Peace) AWOL (Absent Without Leave)

My work is about the use of language as much as it is in a way a record of how people use language. People often say that texting is breaking down language but it is I feel making language stronger.

I have settled in to my new shop and really enjoy going to work there; I have started to produce Frames and painting panels for some of Guelph’s local artist.