Walnut Carved Seat Stools
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In May of 2008, I woman came to my Open Studio and asked me if I could build stools in walnut with carved seats, in the manner of Sam Maloof, the master chair maker of our time. She had a walnut counter top. I didn't know how to do it, but I wanted to know. I said yes. She flashed me a significant look and left, leaving an address that returned my card, no telephone number, and no email address. I put it out of my mind, when, with a three week deadline, came the call, "Would you build them by such and such date in time for my house warming party?" Yes, of course. I talked to eight woodworkers, studied a video of Sam and his apprentices working on his $20,000 rocking chairs. After two days, I had a variety of tools and a plan combining different ideas, techniques, and my own intuition. Another two days, and I had the seat carved out. The stools were ready in time, but without a finish. I took them back and sanded and sanded and oiled until they gleamed. |
At the Tiburon Art Festival, I asked at least fifty people to sit on the stools. Everyone found them unexpectedly, and wonderfully, comfortable. I came up with a price of $1450 each. Some species of wood would raise that figure a little. Varnish, instead of oil, would be less. I worked out five other designs before my customer settled on this one. I'm looking forward to building chairs. It's your call. |
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Woodworking News: Last year was quiet. I built a bookcase for a friend out of solid Bubinga, a strongly figured wood from West Africa that comes from sustainable forests. I also built two desks for a client in the Los Angeles area out of Plybo, made of laminated bamboo. Then there was a boat job. I'm working on a sculpture of the Tree of Life: a female figure coming out of the ground like a tree, with arm-like branches upraised holding a canopy of branches and leaves.
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I've taken up with a woman in the Los Angeles area. You could say it's serious except that it is so much fun. I've never enjoyed another woman's company as much as I do Dana (pronounced "Donna"). David, my youngest son, and I are going to go to India for a hip replacement for him. He was born without hip sockets. The doctors got one in when he was young, but not the other. He's in constant pain. The doctor in India is reputed to be one of the best in the world, so that's where we are going at the end of May. I'm running a fund raiser for him. Check it out at GiveForward.com
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