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Bamboo Babies This project was designed to provide occasional seating for an oceanside subtropical home. Bamboo seemed a perfect choice for the climate and the proximity to the beach and surf. The Italian leather cushions can easily be removed, converting each unit into a handy snack table. When extra guests arrive, one or more of these can be moved to the main seating area. When not in use, they become an interesting sculptural focus across the room.
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Flamingo Dancer My first attempt to use pink ivory in furniture. The effect is dramatic,especially with the contrast of a sycamore top. The piece was commissioned for the entry hall of a beautiful Coconut Grove penthouse. In place, it makes a striking visual point against the dark paneled wall--while providing a useful place to sort the mail.
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Campaign Chest
It was in New Orleans, years ago, that I first saw a campaign chest. It was in an elegant antique shop on Royal Street, and I was fascinated. It was solid camphor wood, and although 150 years old, still perfumed the air. For almost a decade I imagined making such a piece, and eventually did.This is my version. The teak exterior is traditional; the curly maple interior lends a feminine touch to a sober piece; secret compartments add mystery. I got over my fear of dovetails on this complex project.
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Reference desk
I finished this cherry piece in 1992, and brought it to Miami for a gallery show. Five days later Hurricane Andrew wrecked our house and the desk. It was many months before I could bring myself to repair the damage. It never made the gallery, but we use it every day. It is called a reference desk as several books can be kept on the shelf while the one currently in use sits on the top. |
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George's Chair
This chair was inspired by a 1940's design of George Nakashima's. I found several 2x4's of tan-oak with this terrific figure in the grain. I needed a project that would incorporate only small dimensions, and a chair fit the bill. The woven leather seat is by my friend and partner, |
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Jennifer's Table
Pear and bleached sycamore are the primary materials here. I made this for my daughter, and I think the table's personality matches hers perfectly. The gilded drawer reveals itself like a secret when opened.
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Humidor
A few years ago humidors were all the rage and we woodworkers made a slew of them. I made only this one. It was made entirely from a single plank of wild tamarind from the Florida Keys, given to me by my friend Bill Palmer. The diamond pattern on the top was the first time I attempted that design. This was a gift for my son and is in his house in Atlanta.
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Dictionary Stand
This piece was great fun to make and great fun to look at. It has an ebullient presence along with great practicality. The two shelves provide space for several reference books. This is maple with several brilliant aniline dyes and other pigments for the finish. This piece is in Miami at the home of dear friends who are my best patrons.
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Sewing table
This piece was inspired by a small log of Cuban mahogany that I collected 30 years ago on Key Largo. The figure was perfect for the reverse diamond pattern on the top. The drawers are lined in leather. Such tables were ubiquitous in well-run households of the 18th and 19th centuries. This is my version, humorous without disrespect.
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Dining Table
Another piece for my Miami patrons. The curved pedestals are pear and the top (with two removable leaves) is maple. This maple plank was a find, with a pronounced green streak running right through. The veneers sawed like a dream. The table sits twelve fourteen in a pinch, and its boat shape make conversation possible for everyone.
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Cheesecake Twins
The furniture makers of the 18th. Century are my heroes. No better furniture was ever made and that golden age will never come again. In these twins I pay homage to my heroes without getting too serious. The tables are maple, with a powerful quilted figure on the tops. Aniline dye and various pigments provide the color. I love this pair. They are now part of the collection of a famous artist in Coral Gables.
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Cellarette
Here, in English brown oak and white oak, my interpretation of the 18th. century receptacle for wine bottles. Used then to avoid the vulgar display of liquor in front of the guests, don't you know. These days we like to show off our wine labels, and the cellarette now is best used to keep after-dinner liquors handy, or maybe for a stack of unread magazines.
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Hurricane clock
Hurricane Andrew wrecked our house and made a shambles of my shop and my psyche. For weeks I didn't have a creative thought, and spent every waking moment agonizing over the damage and how to cope. I was revived by a wealthy patron of the arts who, in conjunction with Fairchild Tropical Garden, sponsored a major show for local artists. We were given timbers that had been salvaged from the Garden's devastation. Only two of us were woodworkers, and the show was stunning. Working on this clock saved my sanity. It has a 24-hour movement, and the red triangle indicates the hours that the storm passed through. The clock is on permanent display at the Garden in Miami.
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High Stool
This very comfortable stool is maple. The back is slightly springy and is fun to make as well as sit in. Aniline dye provides the color. I tried this in a wood less dense than maple, and it didn't work. It needs the weight for stability. |
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