2nd life wood

Yesterday I met customers at a lumber supplier in Fayetteville, Arkansas that specializes in large full width natural edged lumber. We selected a piece of silver maple, 39 in. wide, 3 in. thick and 9 ft. long that will become a single piece dining table top for my customers' home in Little Rock. The weight of the table top will be a particular challenge in my shop as I plane and sand it to serve. I'll call on friends to help.

My teaching schedule limits my involvement in  furniture commissions, but this will be a project too lovely and meaningful to pass up. The customers already have a collection of my work.

This table offers design and technical challenges for me and I'm always amazed that there are folks who think enough of me and my work to present the challenge of making something I've never made before. How many people function with that level of trust? They could go to a store and buy something already made with so little risk and yet prefer to give a craftsman the opportunity for further growth. Perhaps this tells us something about the society we live in and charts the course forward in the event that we would like the world to become a better place. If we were to invest in each other rather than just buying stuff, we would  all live in a happier place.

When we set our neighbors to work crafting objects of useful beauty, more than objects are made. Lives are. Character and intelligence become fabricated within us and in our communities.

In designing a new piece of furniture, I begin with a brainstorm in the night, thinking through all possible options. One I'm thinking of now is a twin cylinder pedestal base as I did in a dining table many years ago and as is shown in the photo. What follows is the philosophy of my commissioned work:

"As furniture maker my preference is to work with native American hardwoods. With some extended care these hardwoods will be here for future generations. Beyond that, I adhere to some basic design principles:

·      The work must be useful - for to be useful is one of the highest of human objectives.

·      The work must show respect for the wood, for the tree, and for the forest.

·      The work must fit the needs, character and temperament of the client.

·      The work must fit my own desire to learn and to grow.

"My customers come to me, asking that I make what they’ve not yet seen, that I’ve never yet made, with faith and confidence that I’ll be able to deliver something truly unique,  useful, and beautiful that will last a lifetime. It is an honor and a gift to serve those with such vision and I owe a great deal to these individuals who have invested in the development of my skill and creativity."

"Every piece of furniture I’ve made began with a brief discussion of client needs and maker philosophy. It can be by email or over dinner. Some fine works have started as napkin sketches. All at some point involve drawings, estimates and an exchange of funds."

In case you are interested, the lumber supplier is 2ndlifewood.com.

Make, fix and create.