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Tables for Two; New semester at KBS; Placemakers at the Bemis
It’s been a crazy few weeks. I’ve moved to a new house, started my second full semester as a mentor with the Kent Bellows Studio and have several major projects going on, including two large conference-type tables that are commissions for growing Omaha small businesses. Balancing these two tables has been one of the trickier challenges I’ve faced since starting … Read more
A Vessel
All the projects I take on are meaningful and important. Many carry an emotional significance based on the way my customer plans to use the piece, like an altar or dining table. It’s not everyday you get the opportunity to have something made especially for you that will be a part of your daily rituals and routines, and will eventually … Read more
Under the Influence, Part 1: Home. Part of Princess Lasertron’s RADVENT series
I get sort of nostalgic near the end of the year. I always make a couple trips to see my family in my hometown, Winfield, Kansas. The last few times I’ve been back to Winfield, I’ve kept little mental and photographic notes of some of the details of the house I grew up in, where my parents still live today. … Read more
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The Bottomless Bookcase
So this is a fun little project I’m making for a client who is commissioning it as a Christmas gift. He asked for an affordable book case. I’m calling this the Measure Cut Cut Bottomless Book Case. Why’s it called that? Because it doesn’t technically have a bottom. The orientation and variety of shelves makes it so the piece can … Read more
Bringing it All Back HOME
Up to this point, my perspective on interior design shows is that they’re usually tacky, cluttered events filled with so much mass produced crap that you’re left feeling overwhelmed by product, and underwhelmed by substance. I’m talking barely-enough-room-to-maneuver-around-all-the-throw-pillows-and-tile-samples overwhelmed. And cheap, gaudy art underwhelmed. Yer grandma’s professionally designed living room. Enter Birdhouse Interior Design, and their upcoming design event and … Read more
Design Deliberation
I talk frequently about the purpose of my work in terms of functionality and inspiration. What I don’t talk as much about are the deliberate choices I make when it comes to transferring a pencil drawing or basic concept into a physical form. While I was sanding, scraping and putting the first coat of finish on a new walnut table … Read more
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The Hard Truth about My Relationship with Plywood
I have a confession to make: recently I’ve been working a lot with plywood. I know, it’s a little out of character. For a long time, I was pretty opposed to using the heavy wafer cookies of the wood world. I thought it was cheap, characterless and inauthentic. Any time I saw something made of plywood, I would scoff and … Read more
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Balloons, Benches and Baze!
It’s Saturday night, and as it seems like I’ve been doing all day, I’m multitasking. As I attempt to write this post I’m also fending off acrobatic moves by our dog Baze, who desperately wants to get to a small stash of Peanut Butter M&M cookies my grandma sent me from Kansas earlier this week. She’s none too happy with … Read more
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4 Fun Fall Shows!
I’ve never had a real solo art show before – and don’t have any plans to do so anytime soon – but over the next few weeks I’ll have significant work in 4 simultaneous shows. The works in each show will be pretty different from one another, so I hope you can make it to all 4, which all occur … Read more
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NEW WORK: 4 Benches
This is a sketch for a series of 4 identical benches I’m making for a new client referred by my friend Jessica from Birdhouse Interior Design. The benches will be used as seating for a large, existing dining table. The design process for this piece was a welcome challenge. I wanted to create something that would complement the Monastery-style table … Read more