Weary Bones Stool
(in walnut and red oak, 20"x10"x10")
I thought it would be fun to carve bones and make them serve as structural elements in a simple piece of furniture. I went a little further by making the joint between the seat and the leg bones suggest a ball and socket hip joint. Art must take us beyond the mildly pleasant and remind us of darker matters. Furniture rarely does this, and so I think this design is an artistic achievement. The jurors of Sooke Fine Arts 2002 must have thought so, since they accepted this piece for the show last summer. I did not want the stool to appear grotesque, and I guess it does not. Someone of impeccable taste purchased the stool during the donor's preview before opening night!
Demi-lune Table
(in white oak, 36"x24"x14")
I decided to carve a branch that would serve as a structural element in this piece. I like the idea of a branch growing right out of the wall, as if nature asserts itself indoors. The branches have carved vines on them, which wrap up around the edge of the table in two places. To extend the theme of nature asserting itself, I carved two rose stems that appear to have sprouted from the top of the table. This piece was accepted and shown at Sooke Fine Arts 2002.
I have something completely different in Sooke Fine Arts 2003!
