It is with a great sense of accomplishment that I offer this new lounge chair. This design distills all of the talents and skills I possess into one piece of exceptional furniture. The fluid shaping of its parts make for a chair that is delightful to look at and a marvel of comfort. My J-Class Lounge chair- finalist for the 2012 Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Masterworks Award-  served as a starting point. The seat is sculpted from one very thick premium Walnut plank, cut up and artfully arranged to accommodate the deep saddle and ‘poured’ leg joinery. Materials for this chair cost just over $1000.00. The rough seat blank being shaped into its final form leaves deep piles of sweet smelling shavings on the shop floor. This is sculpture in its age old form.

The delicate hand shaped spindles follow the curves of the sitters back. The laminated back crest flows into wide arms. Hard lines that are carefully formed by hand sanding around the outside of the seat and arms juxtapose with the soft fluidity of the rest of the chair. The creative effort depletes my reserves. It will be weeks before a new design can even be contemplated.

This stylized Art Deco chair is the result of an exciting commission I received earlier in the year. Rooted in the luxury of Art Deco design, it is crafted in Indian Rosewood, Italian leather and Ivory. The silhouette is Ruhlmann, but the details and execution are Otter.  A main feature, the faceted back is made from staves curved in two planes,  joined with tenons and inlaid with ivory. The ivory ‘stockings’ compliment the leather and inlay above. Photos by Johanna Matthews.

Simplicity. Craftsmanship. Beauty.

Regards,

The stool pictured here is the latest result of my inclination to create furniture that explores the sculptural nature of wood. The unique growth rings and grain patterns that once existed deep in a tree are brought to light in this deeply carved piece. The seat, or saddle is shaped from a thick block of wood glued up from a single plank.

At the back, it is a full six inches deep, providing lumbar support and enveloping the sitter in luxurious comfort few would think possible from solid wood.

The underside of the seat is perhaps the most intriguing part of the design, incorporating what I call a ‘poured’ joint; the wood being carved to flow gracefully from the mass of the seat into the straight tapered legs. The mortise and tenon joint is pegged to prevent loosening over time.

A wide comfortable rung below the seat puts the finishing touch to this piece. All of this is done, not with computer controlled routers, but by hand, using simple tools. I sincerely hope you like it.

Regards,

On Sunday, August 3, I will be hosting an open house and demonstration afternoon as part of the annual Gathering in Earltown. Beginning at 1:00 pm, you are invited to stop by my shop to watch and discuss the art of craft.   In my gallery you’ll be able to see a sampling of my finished work along with the unique paintings and prints of emerging artist, Juliana Kroscen.

Over the years, I’ve been called upon to make a great variety of things; some of them outside the realm of furniture making. Now I add a new chapter to my repertoire with an exquisite walking stick. The handle is crafted from the very rare and very expensive Snakewood and the stock in beautiful Macassar Ebony. Sculpted to fit the hand snugly, the handle is joined to the stock with a sturdy mortise and tenon joint that is pinned to preempt loosening.

The tip of the walking stick is finished with brass and comes with two different ends for summer and winter walking. Please feel free to contact me if you would like a cane that makes a statement.

At long last, a design that visitors to my shop have seen in its unfinished state for many months is finally ready for display. As a sculpted wooden seat, this stool has no equal. A full eight inches deep, the black cherry saddle is painstakingly roughed out, carved and polished to offer unparalleled comfort and beauty. With a nod to art deco design, the curved white ash legs are not turned, but shaped by hand with spoke shave and scraper. Through and wedged tenons attach the legs to the seat. The front stretcher is likewise sculpted to accommodate the feet comfortably while pinned tenons ensure it will never loosen. This stool can be adapted to any counter height and has also proved to be a comfortable perch for guitar playing.

It is always a joy to finish a new design and deliver it to the customer. This design, like most of my work, was a full collaboration between artist and collector. The results speak for themselves: a functioning, finely crafted piece of furniture that is also very sculptural in nature.

The Black Walnut and Bird’s Eye Maple offers a stunning contrast, while the hand-carved drawer pulls expose the beautiful grain patterns of solid wood, drawing the eye and inviting the touch.

Many of my visitors and friends have asked if I would offer woodworking courses.  I am pleased to say that the Nova Scotia Museum has generously offered to sponsor some basic courses in traditional woodworking methods. We will be using the Sutherland Steam Mill site in Denmark, Nova Scotia as our workshop. Just 15 kms from our studio here in Earltown, the old mill offers a very traditional setting in which to work wood by hand.We will initially offer two weekend (Friday and Saturday) courses in September making a shaving horse. The shaving horse once held an honored place in woodworking shops. It was essentially a low bench that allowed the sitter to clamp a work piece with the strength of their legs and leave their hands free to shape and contour. I invite all who are interested to visit museum.gov.ns.ca or contact me by phone or email for details.

Perhaps the most important tool in the furniture makers shop is the workbench. The centerpiece in my shop, this bench is heavy and very well made. It features plenty of hand-tool storage, a tail and side vise, a tool well and plenty of work top space. Perhaps best of all, it has history. This bench was used by a friend, neighbor and customer of mine for decades before he kindly passed it on to me and I value it highly.