Final Comments on Furniture Society Conference Exhibits

As a follow-up to earlier comments on the Furniture Society Conference in June, I have a few more images to share.

Inside the conference center there was another exhibit. Even though it was open all members, and was non-juried, the quality was still very high (not very surprising considering hacks don't normally pay for Furniture Society membership).

Furniture artists commonly make furniture that is more sculpture than functional furniture but this piece by Jerry Spady, Air-Aquarium, takes this art form a step further by making a pure sculpture in the form of traditional furniture. Unfortunately, back-lighting from the large window made photographing it very difficult but it is still possible to see the impeccable construction and concept. Two large leafy sea dragon (Phycodurus eques) sculptures float in a 19th century style case. Very Victorian in execution but very contemporary in concept.

Air-Aquarium
claro walnut, tiger maple, etimoe
Jerry Spady

The back side gives a better sense of the colors. You can also see the marquetry "shadows" of the sea dragons.

Air-aquarium (back-side)

Derrick Method brought two discarded book pieces to the conference. I like his economical design concept. I have to conclude that, following eight years of the G. W. Bush administration's distaint and disregard of international agreements, using empty binders titled "United States Treaties and Other International Agreements" for this Treaties Table is probably more political statement than coincidence. Regardless, the concept is cool and at least someone found something useful to do with these discarded documents.

Treaties Table
Discarded Books, wood, glass
Derrick Method

He also brought this SCB Bench made with books titled "Survey of Current Business." Not sure what he might be saying about current business practices but the piece has a retro 50's (maybe early 60's) look to it.

SCB Bench
discarded books, wood
Derrick Method

I also enjoyed Brian Gladwell and Jason Schneider's untitled collaborative submission. They have both developed a portfolio of cardboard furniture individually so it is interesting, and perhaps not very surprising, to see them team up on a piece. The texture and patterns they capture with cardboard is very dramatic and it also has a recycling theme.

Untitled
cardboard, wood, wallboard compound
Brian Gladwell and Jason Schneider

Also in the conference center was an exhibit of work donated for the live and silent auction to benefit the Furniture Society. Although there were a number of great artists who made very generous contributions to the auction (it is easy to become jaded when looking at one great piece next to another) work by two artists stood out the most for me. First, these exquisite horse andirons by Judy Kensley McKie. They help to increase my anticipation for her show of new work at Gallery NAGA in November.

Horse Andirons
bronze
Judy Kensley McKie

Finally, there are these two intricate pieces by Po Shun Leong. Given how well established he is as an artist (his CV is four pages of one impressive accomplishment after another), I'm surprised I hadn't been familiar with his work earlier but happy to have now become aware of it. They are both reminiscent of lace or paper giving them a light, fragile appearance, however, being made of wood, they are substantial and sturdy. They also make me feel tired just looking at every notch in the individual sections and thinking how long it took to cut each one. He must have a notch cutting machine of some kind. Update: unfortunately, the notch cutting machine doesn't exist, they are cut by hand on a band saw.

Table (unknown title)
painted wood
Po Shun Leong

Sculpture (unknown title)
painted wood
Po Shun Leong