At some point when making a sculpture or piece of furniture, my job is simply to convey a load to the ground. The perennial challenge is to invent or interpret a structural program that gets the job done but adds something new in the process. I usually begin by looking to natural forms- to the structural properties of a material, or to the material’s source- the tree in the case of wood. But I also find inspiration in engineered forms, like the pallet pictured above, whose underside resembles a Mayan city. The pressed form has me trying to make connections between the mundane task of conveying a load and the magical cosmology of Mesoamerica.

my chair for Becoming Independent conveys a load on two levels both laterally and vertically

Tagged: craft philosophy, deep craft, innovation, inspiration, mesoamerica, scott Constable

I’ve really enjoyed collaborating with artists with developmental disabilities in the design of my Space Chairs for the new playroom at Becoming Independent (BI) in Santa Rosa. The eight chairs are made from locally-milled Monterey Cypress, and their backs frame panels lovingly painted by eight individual artists who regularly participate in BI’s innovative Artworks Program. The chairs, half of which have arms, will be used daily by children of all ages who have varying degrees of developmental disabilities. I’m very pleased with the outcome, whose design program has been a challenge, requiring safety, durability, low cost and ease of configuration. I’m confident the project will prove to be a successful prototype for continued collaboration, and I look forward to exploring the potential for more expressive forms featuring panels painted by the Artists of Becoming Independent.

To follow the thread on my collaboration with Becoming Independent, please click here.

Tagged: appropriate technology, becoming independent, chair design, contemporary art, deep craft, furniture design, innovation, scott Constable, slow design, woodworking

1 of 16 painted panels by the artists at Becoming Independent

Late last week I received the first batch of panels painted by the artists of Becoming Independent, exploring the theme of ’space’. There will be a total of 16 panels (2 per chair), all painted in acrylic on plywood boards, to be mounted in the backs of chairs I’m making for a children’s playroom at their Santa Rosa facility. It’s been a wonderful collaboration and already has me planning a more robust series exploring the panel-on-frame furniture concept with these artists. As I assemble the chairs, I’ve been researching historical precedent and have found a wide range of influences, from the early 20th century furniture of the Byrdcliffe Colony to the religious icon painting of feudal Georgia, especially the Khakhuli Triptych.

detail of the Khakhuli Tryptich, 10th-11th century (public domain image)

Tagged: becoming independent, byrdcliffe colony, chair design, contemporary art, deep craft, khakhuli triptych, scott Constable, woodworking

concept sketch of the Space Chair for Becoming Independent

I’ve been commissioned to design tables and chairs for the youth of Becoming Independent, most of whom have developmental disabilities of varying degree. The seating structures will be used in a new playroom that doubles as a space for observation and evaluation, so the tables and chairs need to be very durable, safe, and easy to reconfigure by the people who use them. They also need to be inexpensive to produce while meeting the high aesthetic and ergonomic standards of the organization.

Over the next month, I will make the chairs out of locally-milled, air-dried Monterey cypress, which is strong, stable and has a pleasing amber glow when oiled and waxed. The joints will be mitered and fastened with the innovative Festool Domino system, and the backs will feature panel-on-frame construction, with panels designed and painted by the artists of Becoming Independent; the chairs will double as picture frames. The tables will be pentagonal in shape to encourage modularity and collaboration, with inlaid ’star’ patterns to go with the playroom theme of space. I look forward to working with Ann Westaway, Service Director of Art Works, and the talented people she works with daily.

Tagged: chair design, deep craft, festool, green woodworking, innovation, scott Constable, slow design, woodworking

painting by William Eley of Becoming Independent

Communicating by making pictures must be among the oldest, most primal human instincts. For people born with severe developmental disabilities, the realm of art-making sometimes provides the only tangible outlet for the depths of thought and emotion. I studied at RISD and the Art Institute of Chicago and have taught and lectured at art and design colleges, but I have never witnessed such focused dedication to the craft of picture-making as demonstrated by the talented people at Becoming Independent during my recent visit.

Cami Weaver, dynamo CEO and twenty year career veteran of Becoming Independent, led the tour of the organization’s labyrinthine 26,000 square foot campus, stopping frequently for intimate chats with the people who participate in BI’s diverse wealth of services. Cami is passionate about “breaking down barriers and de-bunking myths that people with disabilities have limits and are different from people without disabilities.” Among the organization’s extensive offerings are Community Living Support, Adult Education, Employment Services, Family Resource and Advocacy, and Transportation Services. Cami clearly approaches each client individually and manages to evoke a feeling of extended family for both the BI staff and its over one thousand clients.

Judging from the work hanging on the walls of BI’s galleries, the organization is more than just the largest non-profit in the North Bay, it is ultimately one of its best art schools. To me, Becoming Independent serves as a model of innovation worth emulating by any business or organization whose goals are community inclusion and good citizenship. I look forward to spending more time working with Cami to develop potential collaborative projects for Wowhaus, and encourage everyone to arrange for a visit that is guaranteed to inspire.

Tagged: becoming independent, cami weaver, contemporary art, craft, deep craft, RISD, wowhaus