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The Strata Series – limited edition sculptural furniture
I’m really excited about my new creative direction. The last 12 months have seen a change of style develop and without doubt, I’m producing my best work yet. My Strata series, using multiple layers to create a sense of movement, is fast evolving and taking shape. In essence, it is limited edition sculptural furniture.
Over the years, I have experimented with different design concepts; I have enjoyed doing inlay work and using decorative veneers which both focus on surface detail or “decoration”. As I have matured as an artist, I have become more drawn to looking at the overall form rather than decoration. The Strata series takes the three dimensional form to another level by incorporating a sense of movement – an exciting revelation that has now become a passion.
Working on Beating Wings and Sidewinder, the first two pieces in the series, was an electrifying experience. I simply couldn’t wait to get into the workshop every day to move the projects on. It is this feeling, “the buzz”, that energizes me and drives me forward constantly. There is something intensely exciting about coming up with new concepts – it is a sign that one’s design practice is progressing by unlocking the next layer of complexity within the creative process. There’s a Eureka moment when I’ve been full circle and the design concept is pinned down and turned into a working idea. The sense of evolution which ensues is a fabulous feeling – from a creative perspective it is all about “the feeling”.
The idea for this new design direction came about after signing up in May 2012 for Makers exhibition at Cube Gallery the following year. I toyed with several ideas for the exhibition but very soon was inextricably drawn towards exploring the more sculptural aspects of furniture design. I began to play with drawings where aesthetics and functionality co-existed, with emphasis on the former, and the idea to bring a sense of movement into a piece of furniture was born.
Beating Wings and Sidewinder are limited edition coffee tables; only eight and ten respectively will be made. I also plan to make them as dining tables of various sizes. Three further pieces have been fully developed as design concepts. One is a distinct cousin of Sidewinder where the form reverses from top to bottom, the second uses twist as the main feature and the final piece plays with the idea of sideways motion. With a further three ideas which are currently at the sketch stage, creatively, these are truly exciting times.