During the recent two month shutdown due to Covid 19 I was furloughed from my day job, which gave me time to work on a new artistic endeavor, among other projects. There was quite a learning curve, since I don't typically build furniture from scratch. There was a fair amount of engineering that went into it, especially for me, as well as some pretty intense hands-on labor. I hope to make improvements and variations on subsequent sets.
This café set (called Redbud Café) was inspired in March by the blooming Redbud tree outside our front window. The sheer color really hit me this time when I saw the buds against the clear blue sky and green grass. The furniture concept had already been on my mind for some time with aesthetically pleasing visions of tapered legs and rounded table top and curved seats.
Paint pouring is a painting technique that is new to me but reminiscent of Abstract Expressionism in some cases. It uses more controlled and various pouring techniques rather than splattering or flinging. I still have much to learn since my project was more controlled dripping than either of the two. Nevertheless I enjoyed the painting part of this project, using pourable acrylic paint.
The furniture building part of this took a good deal more work and commitment, from molding and laminating the plywood, milling the cherry logs, then taper cutting them into legs, then hand planing and sanding them smooth to finally assembling and finishing it all. It was a pretty involved and lengthy process. I'm just glad I got it done before summer!
The table top is covered with an FDA approved clear casting epoxy that has a durable and glossy appearance. It has a 24 inch diameter and is about 36 inches from the floor. I'm looking to make future tables with slightly larger diameters or different shapes.
The two chair back rests are built with an adjustable height using a slotted tightening system. I hope to improve this feature on future projects.
If you'd like to check it out first hand, it is now on display at Art Gypsy in Hodgenville, Kentucky at 107 West Main Street. Her hours of operation are Wednesday through Saturday, 12:00-4:30 pm.
I'm hoping to do some market research for these one of a kind creations in the near future, but if you have any comments or questions in the meantime I would love to hear them. I'll answer to the best of my ability. As a subscriber, you have the privilege of being one of the first to share your opinion and ask questions. Not yet a subscriber, but would like to be? Just go to the Subscribe tab on this website and fill in your email address. Here your opinion is valued and your input matters. So when you get the chance, please let me know what you think. Thank you so much!
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