Contents Furniture Masters: Artistic Visions
Meet the Masters ...........................page 4
The New Hampshire Furniture Masters: a group of more than two dozen fine furniture makers who represent the finest artisans working in New England today. The masters reside in New Hampshire, as well as in Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont, and create contemporary masterpieces for patrons from across the United States.
Guest Artists.....................................page 8
For members of this elite group, building furniture is not simply a job, it is a way of life. The Furniture Masters spend long hours in their studios, designing and building exquisite pieces of furniture that have appeared in the pages of Architectural Digest, Art & Antiques, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times and in the permanent collections of such renowned institutions as the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the American Craft Museum in New York; The Museum of Arts and Design in New York; the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American Art in Washington, D.C.; and the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, New Hampshire. The pieces depicted in these pages are a representative sample of the Furniture Masters’ creations. Many are unique works that were commissioned by clients, while others are speculative pieces created by the masters to demonstrate their creativity and exceptional skill in the art of fine furniture making. Some pieces have already been purchased by private collectors, while others are available for sale. Inquires may be made directly to individual Furniture Masters.
Message from the Chairman....page 9 Master Works...................................page 10 Tradition.................................................page Fluid .........................................................page Alive..........................................................page Texture ...................................................page Sit ..............................................................page Modern ...................................................page
11 14 16 18 20 22
Education ...........................................page 25 Contributors .....................................page 28
All photos are by Bill Truslow, except where noted. Cover: Spring Desk by Jere Osgood, 1996; Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, New Hampshire; Museum Purchase: Gift of Edward and Hilda Fleisher, The Joan Dunfey Fund, Dr. and Mrs. Huntington Breed II, Kimon and Anne Zachos, and the Friends, 1997.2. Photo by Gary Samson
CONTENTS
“ Crane Chairs” by John Cameron
3
Meet the Masters Ted Blachly
pages 10, 15
“My approach is admittedly a pensive search for clear, elegant form.”
PO Box 216, Warner, NH 03278 • 603-456-2385 • tedblachly@gmail.com • tedblachly.com
Aurelio Bolognesi
pages 19, 23
“Looking back at the volume of work I’ve made over the years, I realize that the constant is my heritage coming through.”
591 Czeski Road, Box 167, Hardwick, MA 01037 • 413-563-4146 • ambodesign@gmail.com • aurelio-bolognesi.com
Jon Brooks
pages 16, 17, 28
“I love being in the forest working with the architectural chaos of trees.” Portrait by Gary Samson
Pine Road, New Boston, NH 03070 • 603-487-2780 • jon@jonbrooks.org • jonbrooks.org
John Cameron
pages 3, 20
“I strive to bring beauty into the world. As I work, I constantly
MASTERS
look and question—tuning a curve, adding a facet—until
4
a sculpted fluidity emerges and the piece comes to life.” 34 Mount Pleasant Ave., No. 5, Gloucester, MA 01930 • 978-283-0276 • jc.cabinetmaker@verizon.net • johncameroncabinetmaker.com
Meet the Masters Timothy Coleman
page 24
“Balance is everything to me.” Portrait by Gary Samson
39 Wilson Graves Road, Shelburne, MA 01370 • 413-625-0080 • tim@timothycoleman.com • timothycoleman.com
Jeffrey Cooper
pages 16, 21
“Functional art—that’s where I’m going with my work. It’s fun.” Portrait by Gary Samson
135 McDonough Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801 • 603-436-7945 • jcooper@cooperwoodsculptor.com • cooperwoodsculptor.com
pages 14, 28, back cover
Garrett Hack “Each piece is a memory of a moment in my life —a place, time, or inspiration. ”
344 Jackson Brook Road, Thetford Center, VT 05075 • 802-785-4329 • abundance.farm@valley.net • garretthack.com
pages 12, 13
David Lamb “Listening to classical music, observing nature, and interpreting them both to solid form.”
228 Shaker Road, Canterbury, NH 03224 • 603-783-9912 • dwlambcab@gmail.com • davidlambfurniture.com
MASTERS
Portrait by Gary Samson
5
Meet the Masters Tom McLaughlin
page 15
“I try to create furniture that makes you feel something…hopefully inspired.”
336 Baptist Road, Canterbury, NH 03224 • 603-783-9700 • tom@mclaughlinwoods.com • mclaughlinwoods.com
Sam Norris
pages 19, 24
“Successful design finds harmony in proportion, color, and detail.”
34 Gove Court, Burlington, VT 05401 • 802-363-7785 • sam@samnorrisfurniture.com • samnorrisfurniture.com
Richard Oedel
pages 9, 13, 20
“The eye traces a curve to its natural conclusion.” Portrait by Matt Wynne
Fort Point Cabinetmakers • 23 Drydock Ave 3rd floor, Boston, MA 02210 • 617-763-1349 • finefurnituremaster.com
Jere Osgood
pages front cover, 14
MASTERS
“Making furniture because of design, form, and the intricacies of joinery.”
6
Portrait by Gary Samson
626 Abbot Hill Road, Wilton, NH 03086 • 603-654-2960 • jerewood@aol.com
Meet the Masters page 12
Jeffrey Roberts “Like a composer who combines harmonies to create beautiful music, I seek to inspire people with the richness of wood and the lines, carvings, and detail of each piece of furniture I make.”
544 Gilman Pond Road, Unity, NH • 603-863-2941 • jsrobertsfurniture.com • facebook.com/JSRobertsFurnitureMaker
page 22
Brian Sargent “It takes patience and tenacity to create.”
96 Critchett Road, Candia, NH 03034 • 603-483-0622 • blsdesigns126@earthlink.net • blsargentdesigns.com
page 11
William Thomas “Special pieces for sophisticated clients.”
15 Todd Hill Road, Rindge, NH 03461 • 603-899-3249 • bill@williamthomas-furniture.com • williamthomas-furniture.com
pages 21, 25
A. Thomas Walsh “It’s all about the artistry and creativity of the design process.” MASTERS
PO Box 482, W. Stockbridge, MA 01266 • 413-232-0249 • mail@athomaswalsh.com • athomaswalsh.com
7
Guest Artists Gail Fredell
invited artist
page 18
“The aesthetic of my work is informed by my architecture background, a lifelong interest in Japanese design, and an upbringing grounded in the natural landscapes of the West.” Portrait by Irene Glasser
PO Box 467, Westport Point, MA 02791 • 970-319-9233 • gailfredell.com • gail@gailfredell.com
Greg Brown
emerging artist
page 17
“This free-form design made me realize I am in the trade for the lifestyle.” Portrait by Brian Sargent
63 Nottingham Road, Deerfield, NH 03037 • 860-803-0161 • greg@gbwoodworks.com • gbwoodworks.com
Tom Latourelle
emerging artist
page 23
“As I evolve as a maker, I gain appreciation for the nuances of this craft.” Portrait by Brian Sargent
GUEST ARTISTS
PO Box 1294, Norwich, VT 05055 • 802-681-3720 • thomasjlatourelle@gmail.com • thomaslatourelle.com
8
furnituremasters.org/masters.html
Message from the Chairman The Maker’s Hand After close to 20 years, the Furniture Masters have developed a following and a confidence that are built on a shared experience—that of making, by hand, objects of lasting physical and artistic value. We work daily on refining the skills we have developed, and on sharing those skills with others so that the craft of furniture making is preserved in a world that is increasingly reliant on automated factories in distant places. The physical connection to the objects in people’s lives becomes more fragile as that distance increases. In some ways, this may be better; people are more focused on things other than the material aspects of their lives. But people lose contact with the familiar objects surrounding them at great personal cost. The Furniture Masters are the local craftspeople in the community, the people who lay hands on every piece of furniture they make, the creators of stylistic continuity in a cohesive environment. In short, we are the makers whose hands and minds work together to enhance and brighten the lives of others. Our work is informed by our past experience of making. The path of the chisel and the curve of the leg are the results of doing this hundreds or thousands of times, each time building on the past while creating our vision of the future. It is in this present that we live. Our exposure to the current piece we are working on, and the interaction with our friends and clients, all change our trajectories in small, unknown ways, but always lead to a different piece than we might have designed and built yesterday. We work, we change the work, we are changed by the work, and we design again in a cycle that brings us ever closer to some ideal collaboration with the materials, the people, and the times we inhabit.
“…we are the makers whose hands and minds work together to enhance and brighten the lives of others.” And then we pass that knowledge, that experience, that process of development along to others who will drive it forward to places that we are able only to imagine. This renewal, this long path leading to a connection with our physical surroundings, is what we strive for. I hope that you enjoy the journey along a path led by the maker’s hand.
Richard Oedel, Chairman New Hampshire Furniture Masters
CHAIRMAN
Wild Rose Console Table by Richard Oedel
9
Master Works
MASTER WORKS
The New Hampshire Furniture Masters are full-time, professional furniture makers who exhibit the highest degree of excellence as designers and craftspeople. This design book displays a rich cross section of their works, grouped under six descriptive headings that capture the essence of each collection: Tradition, Fluid, Alive, Texture, Sit, and Modern.
10
Tradition The past has always been a rich source of inspiration. Some makers closely follow the traditional forms and techniques refined by generations of past craftspeople. Others acknowledge the past, draw from it what they want, and give it their own spin.
tradition
William Thomas Serpentine End Dressing Table mahogany, crotch mahogany veneer, crotch birch inlays 14" deep x 32" wide x 38" high This diminutive table is perfect for that intimate spot where you spend your most personal moments. It features a raised drawer to hold your treasures.
MASTER WORKS
Photo on left: Courtesy of the Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, New Hampshire • Writing Desk and Chair by Terry Moore, 2003; Museum purchase: The Anna Stearns Fund and by Exchange, 2003. 19a,b. • Curly Maple Chest by Ted Blachly, 2014; Museum Purchase: The Ed and Mary Scheier Acquisition Fund in Honor of Susan Leidy, Deputy Director of the Currier Museum of Art, 1988–2011, 2014.3. • “Pond Edge” by Michael Mazur, 1996; Museum Purchase: The Henry Melville Fuller Fund, 2003.14. • Untitled by Karen Karnes, 1989; Museum Purchase: The Henry Melville Fuller Acquisition Fund, 2004.27.
11
Jeffrey Roberts Sheraton Sideboard mahogany 26" deep x 72" wide x 40" high
tradition
David Lamb Hopkinton Center Table
MASTER WORKS
mahogany, birch, ebony 52" diameter x 30" high
12
While classical in form, this piece encompasses details that speak to fresh thinking. Inspirational is the use of “frosted” birch banding and inlays in the top. The leg carvings evoke the apple orchard surrounding the patron’s home. This table is suitable for intimate dining.
Much culture was, and continues to be, lost in the melting pot that is America. The furniture and cabinet makers of the formative post-revolution period took elements of European styles and adapted them to form a new style that is uniquely American. As a furniture maker of this lineage, I have created a custom piece specific to my client’s needs and aesthetics, keeping alive this honored tradition.
David Lamb Flying Buttress Table mahogany, ebony inlay 30" diameter x 29" high Inspired by architectural engineering like the great Gothic cathedrals and the Zakim Bridge in Boston, this small tilt-top table retains its classic form while being enhanced by the fluid lines of the bracing.
tradition
Richard Oedel ‘Megan’s Desk’ curly jarrah, East Indian satinwood, eucalyptus, maple 36" deep x 82" wide x 30" high
MASTER WORKS
Sometimes the piece is all about the wood. The jarrah (a species of eucalyptus) used for the top of this desk was sourced directly from Australia and is so heavily figured that it was almost impossible to work with ordinary tools. The contrasts of the East Indian satinwood with the other eucalyptus burl inlays and the smooth, almost satin-like surface of the frames and panels make the piece visually coherent and a statement about the owners and their love of Australian woods.
13
Fluid Working “out-of-square” introduces unique aesthetic and technical challenges. Drawings must be precise, each curved element takes special methods to produce, and joints are angled and complex. The rewards are elegant and graceful shapes, never static and always alluring.
Jere Osgood Spring Desk bubinga, wenge, secondary woods 31" deep x 49" wide x 54" high
fluid
Form, coupled with excellent joinery, is the most important element in creating a piece. When the door is closed, this piece is meant to be considered a sculptural form. The rounded center form is meant to play off the more delicate detailing in the end. When the desk is open, it is meant to be a functional desk. Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, New Hampshire. Museum Purchase: Gift of Edward and Hilda Fleisher, The Joan Dunfey Fund, Dr. and Mrs. Huntington Breed II, Kimon and Anne Zachos, and the Friends, 1997.2. Photos by Dean Powell
Garrett Hack ‘ Ripplicious’
MASTER WORKS
pear, rosewood, paua shell, ivory, secondary woods 21" deep x 52" wide x 30" high
14
It all started with a small rippled shell found on an Australian beach. Intriguing ripples, the finest stirrings of wind on water to billowing curtains, constantly changing, creating patterns of light and shadow. This desk is a play of ripples and shimmering curly pear, with six drawers and sparkles of paua shell and ivory at the toes of the boldly splayed rosewood legs.
Tom McLaughlin Plummer Bow-Front Writing Desk South American mahogany, Cuban mahogany, Gaboon ebony, rift-cut white oak 32" deep x 54" wide x 30" high I enjoy designing furniture with dynamic lines, which seem to add life to interior spaces. This bow-front writing desk gets me thinking of sailing. The arcing layers of Cuban mahogany veneer, edged with ebony, appear like sails full of wind and make the desk look like it may start sliding across the floor. And imagine if the desk’s appearance could fill anyone seated there with an equally inflated sense of inspiration, to write only things powerfully moving and meaningful.
fluid Ted Blachly Curly Maple Chest 2014 sugar maple, Bolivian rosewood, white oak, Sitka spruce 18-1/2" deep x 32" wide x 54-3/4" high The Currier Museum of Art commissioned this piece for its permanent collection. I am honored to have my work recognized in this way. A friend, after seeing it, commented, “She’s elegant and gracious...a mature dancer with a little attitude.” Beautiful wood and complicated cabinetry aside, that’s about what I was after with the design of this piece.
MASTER WORKS
Photo: Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, New Hampshire. Museum Purchase: The Ed and Mary Scheier Acquisition Fund in Honor of Susan Leidy, Deputy Director of the Currier Museum of Art, 1988–2011, 2014.3. Photo by Jeffrey Nintzel
15
Alive Every tree is unique, a natural sculpture of curves shaped by its environment, with an inner life recorded in sometimes wild grain patterns. It is this natural state that inspires some makers to work with a tree as found rather than shape it to fit their expectations.
Jon Brooks ‘Hook and Ladder’ bronze, maple, acrylic, enamel 4" deep x 8" wide x 15" high “ Hook and Ladder” is cast bronze, hand-painted with acrylic and lacquered. The wood base is maple, carved, sculpted, and textured with a coarse rasp and then painted, stained, and finished with varnish.
alive Jeffrey Cooper ‘Ants Totem’ walnut 21" deep x 14" wide x 59" high
MASTER WORKS
This piece is a commemorative to an ant colony destroyed when the log was milled, using an odd cut from the butt of the tree and working around the remains of the nest.
16
Greg Brown ‘Devil’s Embrace’ black walnut, claro walnut burl slab 31" diameter x 30" high This bold tilt-top table represents freedom through the love of imperfection. The walnut slab, raw and unstable, was discovered in the Berkshires. The irregularity of the slab forced the design of the asymmetric base. The three-legged form grasps the top with winding devil’s ivy ascending the sculpted structure. When the table is tilted up, the burl nests between the ivy’s embrace, showcasing the brilliance of the grain and the imperfections in nature. The back of the burl is outfitted with walnut butterfly keys to stabilize and strengthen the fractured grain. The enhanced integrity of the burl allows the top to be tilted down for functional use.
alive Jon Brooks ‘Vernal Pool 2014’ Tasmanian blackwood, maple, acrylic, varnish, lacquer 17" deep x 34-1/2" wide x 30" high This is an altar to celebrate spring. Beginning with the two-inch thick piece of blackwood that I harvested in Tasmania, I carved it to one-half inch thick around nine volcano shapes created to receive the legs. The legs were harvested locally and after drying were sculpted, shaped, sanded, painted, and lacquered, after which the hieroglyphs were carved and hand-painted, followed by three coats of lacquer. The top is finished with nine very thin coats of wipe-on varnish and mineral spirits.
MASTER WORKS 17
Texture Smoothly polished or roughly cleaved, wood entices us to touch. Creating interesting texture by carving or other means emphasizes wood’s tactile nature. It creates appealing contrast between the smooth and the textured and reflects light in attractive ways.
texture Gail Fredell ‘ Mad Rush’ cherry, ebonized white oak and cherry, yellow satinwood 11" deep x 57" wide x 33" high This entry hall table, “Mad Rush,” was inspired by the distinctly varying textures, tones, and rhythms in the solo piano compositions of Philip Glass. Photos by Mark Johnston
The table is constructed of distinct components: a base block and post of reclaimed oak timbers from Colorado, the air-dried cherry beam from a mill in western North Carolina, and a table top—with a warp too good to deny— from a colleague in Rhode Island.
MASTER WORKS
Each component has been integrated into the design of the table to create a harmonious composition, while retaining its own texture, character, and story. Together, they are assembled in an asymmetrical format to present an entryway gesture that is formal and somewhat somber, but lively and welcoming as well.
18
Aurelio Bolognesi Collector’s Coffee Table cherry, walnut, 23-karat gold, Starphire® glass 34" deep x 48" wide x 18" high This piece is the evolution of a sofa table I built a few years ago. First came the idea of building a coffee table that also would be a showcase for collectibles. The carving wants to suggest a dense forest, the walnut ring the water line, and below it the reflection of the trees suggests a pond surrounded by a golden forest in which to deposit treasures. The legs add an interesting twist!
texture Sam Norris ‘Shimmer’ brown ebony, mora, ash 18" deep x 70" wide x 35" high Inspired by the gouged panels of sculptor Hiromichi Iwashita, “Shimmer” uses texture to mimic the ripples of the ocean in its setting in coastal Maine.
MASTER WORKS
Photos by Jeff Clarke
19
Sit Chairs are complex to build. To be comfortable they must integrate angles, often curves, proper proportions, strong joinery, and supple seats. And they should be beautiful, too.
John Cameron ‘ Crane Chair’ East Indian rosewood, upholstery 21" deep x 22" wide x 43" high
sit
The “Crane Chair,” my version of a classical Chinese design, features a wide back splat that gently flexes for comfort. The original set was made of white oak; this single chair was commissioned in rich, beautiful rosewood to complement an antique Chinese desk.
Richard Oedel ‘ Sue’s Chair’
MASTER WORKS
maple, upholstery 22" deep x 22" wide x 32" high
20
This started as a design for a very fancy dining room chair before the design became simplified several times, with the lines becoming more refined with each iteration. The final result is a chair that is not only lyrical, but comfortable enough that friends may linger for hours around the table.
Jeffrey Cooper ‘Fragrant Flow’ teak, bluestone 20" deep x 48" wide x 31" high “ Fragrant Flow” provides seating for a quiet corner of your garden, where you can unwind and think about why we do what we do. The teak is weather resistant, the stone is used as a “found object,” and the bench has some thoughtful, carved surprises.
sit A. Thomas Walsh ‘ Tage Revisited’ Side Chair South American mahogany, grey calfskin upholstery 21" deep x 25" wide x 29" high
MASTER WORKS
In 2011 I was commissioned to create a version of my 1975 “Tage” Chair. The original was from my formative years at the Rhode Island School of Design. The name and Danish design influence came from my teacher, the master furniture maker Tage Frid. It was my first and is still one of my favorite chair designs. The steam-bent and laminated rear legs were my first experience with this construction technique. The mortise-and-tenon main joints were made beefier, similar to the human skeleton. The frame was completely sculpted and smoothed by hand. The soft leather seat was a continuation of the chair’s smooth sculptural lines.
21
Modern Modern is the furniture of today. It is functional, visually light, with clean smooth surfaces free of ornament. Modern experiments into the future and just nods to the past.
modern Brian Sargent The Couple’s Table
MASTER WORKS
Amboyna burl veneer, solid Swiss pear, stainless steel rods 20-1/4" deep x 39-1/2" wide x 20-1/2" high
22
Through my work with the Furniture Masters, I met a couple who asked me to design and build a very special piece of furniture for them. They wanted a table that would be placed at the top landing of their main staircase, an area that is their library and where they enjoy reading together in the evenings. The walls of the alcove are lined with built-in bookcases, and two comfortable reading chairs are positioned respectfully in front of each bookcase. A piece of furniture was needed that would tie the two chairs and readers together, namely, a table that was functional as a place for a reading lamp, a repository for the current reads, and a cup of tea for each reader. This couple impressed me with their enjoyment of each other’s company and sharing of their literary interests, as well as their appreciation for fine artwork and craftsmanship. I designed and created a table that exemplifies these qualities. The table may sit between the couple, but it brings them together to enjoy something they both love to do together.
Thomas Latourelle ‘ Looking West’ walnut, butternut, ebony, holly, red cedar, red oak, abalone 35" deep x 55" wide x 29-1/2" high Those gathering around this table will contemplate a tranquil view west toward the Green Mountains of Vermont. Quiet flowing edges— like those of the nearby Connecticut River—subtly take the table’s top out of square. The playful asymmetry of the drawer details and the use of abalone leg cuffs contribute elegant, modern touches to a humble, honest piece.
Aurelio Bolognesi
modern
‘Liz’s Table’ curly maple, walnut, 24-karat gold, French polish finish 22" deep x 60" wide x 29" high For this sofa table, the client gave me carte blanche, asking me to make a statement. Of course, I considered the taste of this repeat client and the surrounding furniture. To attenuate the contrast, I filled the grain of the full-thickness walnut inlay on the top with 24-karat gold powder.
MASTER WORKS 23
Timothy Coleman Bird’s-Eye Desk bird’s-eye maple veneer, bird’s-eye maple, sapele 30" deep x 55" wide x 29" high I was after a feeling of tautness and strength in the structure of this piece. It is a large surface, but I wanted the piece to be airy and light. The curves and tapers are visually crisp and direct, and the outside edges are treated with a subtle radius to give the piece an overall tactile softness. The bowl-like edge of the top cradles a stunning pool of bird’s-eye maple. This spills over to the flared side panels, which give a sense of enclosure to the user.
Sam Norris Empress Chair and Flow Writing Desk
MASTER WORKS
modern
24
cherry, sycamore, Alaskan yellow cedar, hand-wrought steel, hand-woven cane chair: 17" deep x 24-1/2" wide x 30" high desk: 25" deep x 51-1/2" wide x 31" high Designed for royalty, the original Chinese chairs were substantial enough to show the influence of their owners, yet elaborately detailed to reflect a refined taste. My intent in designing the Empress Chair was to simplify the original, while keeping its heritage and message clear. The Flow Writing Desk borrows from the same style, leaving out the traditional pierced carving in favor of a modern flair.
Photo by Jeff Clarke Photo on right: “Dena Curves” table by Thom Walsh. Photo by Thom Walsh
Education Education plays a vital role in both preserving and furthering the tradition of fine furniture making. The Furniture Masters are pleased to further their involvement with the Prison Outreach Program and continue to foster the New Hampshire Institute of Furniture Making’s Studio-Based Learning Program.
EDUCATION 25
Prison Outreach Program “I find interesting pieces of wood in the scrap bin and see if I can make something beautiful out of what others think is trash...� ...said a young inmate as he handed over for inspection a fine, multi-layered hand-carved spoon. He could not have said it better. Surprising as it seems, many beautiful things have been coming out from behind the prison walls over the past 15 years, a credit to the talent of inmates who are members of the prison Hobby Craft Shop and to the assistance of the Furniture Masters Prison Outreach Program. Nearly every month, in the New Hampshire State Prison, and more recently the Maine State Prison, members of the Furniture Masters offer seminars and visit with inmates in the prison workshop, sharing the finer aspects of the art of furniture making. The results speak for themselves. We are grateful for the proactive cooperation of the current administrations at each prison and to all those who support the program with generous financial gifts and patronage.
Allen Eason Federal Inlaid Sideboard
EDUCATION
Honduras mahogany, poplar, crotch mahogany veneer 21-1/2" deep x 65" wide x 38" high
26
The beautiful form of this sideboard is enhanced by finely figured crotch mahogany veneers. The doors and drawer front also feature straight-line and quarter-fan inlays. The bowed ends add elegance and serve to lighten the piece by removing some of the mass. The bellflower and pellet inlay on the legs hangs from the holly stringing by a ring.
Prison Outreach Program
Eric Grant Chippendale Cherry Bonnet-Top Highboy lightly figured cherry, poplar, brass 22" deep x 40" wide x 88" high The finely carved claw-and-ball feet, central plinth pinwheel, and fan carvings are among the classical Chippendale features that set this highboy apart from others. The dynamic proportions set the stage for the delicately arched bonnet and flamed finials that create an explosive vertical lift. This well-balanced piece exemplifies some of the techniques I learned from members of the Furniture Masters. In both thought and influence, this highboy has been a decade in the making.
Jason Carroll Tuck-Away Table mahogany, custom brass hinges 25" diameter x 26" high 5" deep x 40" high when closed The tuck-away table, made for the growing preference for portable furniture, is one of the few tables that was developed and made exclusively during the Queen Anne period.
EDUCATION 27
Contributors
CONTRIBUTORS
The Furniture Masters could not exist without the generous support of many individuals and organizations. Due to their continued sponsorship and patronage, we are able to carry forward the rich tradition of fine furniture making to the next generation. We are forever grateful.
28
Acknowledgments We who work in the “creative economy” are especially sensitive to economic volatility, but as artists there is no place to store our creativity during the difficult times so that we have more of it when times improve. We tend to work alone, or in very small groups, and we are limited by our imagination, our marketing expertise, and the hours in a day that can be spent bringing our artistic visions to fruition. As a group, we tend to avoid marketing, sales, and finance in favor of research, design, and making. The rewards for these efforts are immensely fulfilling, and the connections that we make on a personal level as a result of our work and vision make the entire process worthwhile. But we do need help to accomplish our objectives, and we are so grateful for the friends and supporters who also value this artistic vision and enthusiastically share their discoveries, insights, and pieces with others. We, as Furniture Masters, say thanks to the many people who have supported us for so long.
To the other members of our advisory board, including Pauline Ikawa, Bob Larsen, Geralyn Smariga, Gerry Ward, Sy Mahfuz, and Van McLeod, who are always willing to contribute their experience and wisdom for the benefit of the artistic community. To Lori Ferguson of Scribo Consulting, our public relations and marketing consultant, whose knowledge and attention to detail keep the Furniture Masters, our apprentices, interns, and the craft as a whole in front of the public on a regular basis. To Jacqueline Stahle of Think Design, our creative design guru, whose rigorous attention to the design continuity of our website, blog, and publications communicates our excitement and artistic vision to the world at large. And to Joan Bennett of The Write Connection, who provides copyediting and prevents us from committing grave literary errors. (After all, we are mostly furniture makers.)
“ ...we are so grateful for the friends and supporters who also value this artistic vision. ...” To Tony Hartigan, whose energy and drive have inspired the Furniture Masters since the first day. To Nancy Sununu and the entire Sununu family, who have supported us for many years and who continue to be enthusiastic cheerleaders for the masters. To Steve Duprey, whose donation of space for our gallery at 49 South Main Street in Concord, NH, allows us an audience and a venue that we could never have contemplated without his support and perseverance. To Arthur Clarke, Susan Sloan, Ted Shasta, and many others, whose contrasting opinions often help inform our understanding of the issues at hand. To Mary McLaughlin and Roger Myers, who have steadily guided the NH Institute of Furniture Making (our 501(c)(3) affiliate) in directions that allow us to fulfill our educational endeavors and help us pass along the knowledge that we have built up in our individual lives as Furniture Masters.
To Bill Truslow, our photographer, who fills the pages of our design books with stunning photographs of the pieces and their makers. To the late Hilda Fleisher, a fervent supporter of the Furniture Masters for many years, who leaves behind a rich legacy of patronage and pride in the artists of this community. We would also like to thank the Currier Museum of Art for featuring the works of many of the Furniture Masters in its growing collection, and especially Director and CEO Susan Strickler and Director of Collections and Exhibitions Andrew Spahr, who have supported our work and juried our pieces over many years. And finally, we extend heartfelt thanks to our dedicated patrons and sponsors, who make all of this a reality.
Photo on left: Serpentine Table by Garrett Hack. “Portage 911” by Jon Brooks. Photo by John W. Hession, courtesy of New Hampshire Home Photo on right: Sofa/Hall Table Cabinet by Wayne Marcoux.
CONTRIBUTORS
To the New Hampshire Historical Society and the continuing support of Joan Desmarais, Wes Balla, and William Dunlap, who are always willing to provide a place for our meetings, a venue for our exhibits, and their unvarnished opinions of our ideas and plans.
29
Sponsors The New Hampshire Furniture Masters and the New Hampshire Institute of Furniture Making are grateful to our sponsors for their generous support. Gallery Sponsor
www.dupreycompanies.com
Developing New Hampshire Communities. Supporting New Hampshire Arts.
A Division of FOXFIRE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, Inc.
Sponsors TD Bank, N.A., Trustee
Arthur D. Clarke & Co.
Marion Cohen Trust
Steve Booth Photography
The Estate of Hilda Fleisher
Bien Fait Decorative Arts Valuation Services, LLC Christopher P. Williams Architects, PLLC Arthur Clarke and Susan Sloan G.H. Evarts & Co., Inc.
Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers Hanna & Hanna, Inc. Anthony and Cecie Hartigan Lie-Nielsen Toolworks MM Weston & Associates
Northland Forest Products Rare Woods USA The Scott Lawson Group, LTD. The Sununu Family Vacuum Pressing Systems, Inc.
CONTRIBUTORS
Friends of the New Hampshire Furniture Masters
30
Alphagraphics, Manchester Andi Axman Steve Belair Bill Truslow Photography Castle in the Clouds Arthur Clarke and Susan Sloan Concord Chamber of Commerce Currier Museum of Art Steve Duprey Chris Dwyer and Mike Huxtable Jonathan Francis Steve and Wendy Gaal
Gallery at Somes Sound Diane Griffith Ann Hackl Anthony and Cecie Hartigan Pauline Ikawa Robert Larsen Sy and Janet Mahfuz Mike and Mary McLaughlin Roger Myers New England Home New Hampshire Art Association New Hampshire Department of Cultural Resources/Van McLeod
New Hampshire Historical Society New Hampshire Institute of Art Geralyn Smariga Tom Silvia and Shannon Chandley Bill Siroty William Stelling Cathy Sununu John and Nancy Sununu Gerry Ward Maura Weston WMUR-TV9
NHFMA is a group of professional furniture artisans committed to preserving the centuries-long tradition of fine furniture making. The association promotes the growth of fine furniture making, as well as the sale of fine furniture made by its members, by hosting exhibitions; engaging in collaborative marketing and educational activities; and partnering with museums, art organizations, and galleries. The organization strives to uphold the highest standards of quality craftsmanship through a peer-reviewed jury system.
P O Box 5733 Manchester, NH 03108 603-898-0242 NHFMA Gallery 49 South Main Street Concord, NH 03301 furnituremasters.org
“Va Va Vienna� by Garrett Hack, painting by Carolyn Enz Hack.