Every time I go into Richard's shop I see something new.  Today it was this beautiful modern vintage stool/seat with a storage compartment.  I have no idea what he's doing with it but I think I'll replicate one for myself.  This is a beautiful chair.  It looks like it was meant for a child except the dimensions are for an

adult.

Richard's Place

Today I picked up some more plywood from Home Depot and brought it to my friend Richard's shop.  Richard has graciously let me use his shop to make and photograph the projects for the book.  I could do it at the studio but storing 60 sheets of plywood and 60 finished projects can be a bit of a problem.  I am very grateful to Sergio Bastos and Columbia forest Products.  Columbia has donated all of the material I need for the book.  They made arrangements with the Home Depot in Bellingham, MA so that I can walk in any time and get plywood for the book.  Thank you very much'

Table Retirement

Here's another table I made around eight to nine years ago.  It rests at my friend Patt's place in Worcester.  It started life as a small cafe' style table.  It's made of poplar.  I had intended to paint it but as you can see that never happened.  I originally wanted to make two matching chairs to go with it.  I think I'll make this table again as a project for the show.  It can made entirely from off the shelf dimensioned lumber.  I'll have to keep looking around  Patt's place too see what other pieces of mine I can find.

Yesterday I drove to Worcester to finish installing the frame and door for my friend Patt's house.
It was a beautiful fall day, a great day to set up the saw horses and work outside.  The frame and door was a challenge because like all old homes nothing is square or plumb.  The walls are made out of stone and skimmed with cement.  I had a lot of scribing and patching to do but all in all it worked out very well.
The top image shows the door and frame from the outside with the wall patched.  The others show the door and frame without the patching.

It was a beautiful fall day, a great day to set up the saw horses and work outside.  The frame and door was a challenge because like all old homes nothing is square or plumb.  The walls are made out of stone and skimmed with cement.  I had a lot of scribing and patching to do but all in all it worked out very well.

Reaquaintance

This is a table I made around eight or nine years ago.  It's been in my friend Patt's yard since.  It's a dinner for two garden table.  The two seats are attached to the base.  It's meant for a couple to have an intimate dinner out on the garden or on the patio under the stars.  I fogot about this nice little table.  I think I'll use this as a project for the show.

Back in the studio

I've been out of the studio for a while.  It feels good to be back.

Patt's Place

Here is the frame and the pine door I made for Patt's cellar.  I'll hang it tomrrow.  The door was finished with a spar varnish.  the door has a four inch vent hole cut into for the dryer hose.

Cellar and Door

I spent today at my friend Patt's house in Worcester, MA.  Here is the cellar door area that I'm framing in.  I made a pine door for it.  The walls need some repair and then I'll be ready to hang the door.  I made and framed in the bulkhead door around eight years ago.  It was a beautiful day out to be working on a project like this.

Bulkhead and Cellar doors.

Yesterday morning I drove to Worcester too see my friend Patt and to measure for a job.  I've done work for Patt in the past.  Patt wants me to frame in and build a door for the cellar entrance.  It's a small door. I'll be replacing the old one that was on it.  The walls will need a little cement work before I can frame it in. It's not fine furniture but it's fun and it helps pay the bills. I'll probably use Tongue and groove pine boards for the door and build a "Z" pattern on it for stability.  It was good to see Patt, it's been a while  I've been working on projects for the book at my friend Richards shop, it'll feel  good to be in my studio building next week.

You never know'

Yesterday Liesl and I saw these fantastic old metal patio chairs on the side of the road.  We went up to the house and knocked on the door.  A gentleman came to the door and told us we could have them.  Awesome.  We love all things modern and have a single white patio chair.  Despite some missing paint and a bit of rust the chairs are in great shape. These two will compliment the other perfectly.  You never know what you'll see by the side of the road and you never know what can come of something by asking a simple question.

We have heat'

I finally got around to installing the stove pipe.  The stove works great.  It took little time to make the studio nice and cozy.  Yeh'

This week has been about applying to exhibitions and grants. 

This week has been about applying to exhibitions and grants. 

Wood stove

I finally got around to cutting out the six inch hole in the steel plate for the stove pipe to go through.  I took out the window and replace it with the steel plate and then installed some stove pipe.  I just need to get a couple of pieces of pipe and I'll have it finished.

Douglas Fall Fair

Yesterday Liesl, Quinn and I went to the Douglas Fall Fair.  An old friend of mine from Worcester was playing on stage 'B'.  Scott Riccuiti is the front man for a band called Huck but at the Douglas fair it was just him and his acoustic guitar and a stand up bass.  It was good to see Scott again.  

United Congregational

I teach guitar for the Valley School of Music which is situated in the United Congregational Church in Whitinsville, MA.  Today I went in to the church to drop off some notes for work and snapped a couple of images of the Congregational room.  This place is beautiful.  I'm not much of a church goer but I love the architecture.  This church was built by the Whtitin family, giving their workers a place to worship.  I love the vaulted ceilings and the woodwork.  It;s very inspirational.

Getting closer

Yesterday I trimmed and hung the last door o Liesl's studio.  We are one step closer to getting it completely finished.  All that is left to do is to hang the stove pipe.  The studio is looking really nice.

New Studio

Today Liesl and I moved the rest of her studio.  We set up her new studio.  It looks great'  Now I just have to finish installing the wood stove.

Product

Here are some images of the work the Artful Phoenix now has in their inventory.
Thank you again to Melissa and Jan.

Thank you again to Melissa and Jan.

The Artful Pheonix

Yesterday I delivered some work to a gallery in North Attleboro.  The Artful Phoenix is a relatively new gallery and is located at 21N.Washington St in North Attleboro.  Washington street is awesome.  It has a lot of local cafes, bakeries, galleries and great places to rummage.  I'm very excited about this new relationship with the gallery, owners Melissa and Jan have a great space.  There is even a room for the public to sit, read, have a coffee and use the Internet.

The gallery took eleven  pieces of mine, four bread side tables, two pairs of tea lights, two shaker style pine end tables, one walnut and maple side table, a walnut and aluminum bench and a mahogany tea box..  For more information about the artful phoenix please check out their web site at http://www.theartfulpheonix.com/

Studio Floor

Today we painted the floor of  Liesl's new studio with a high heat paint.  The floor needed painting so we just covered the entire floor with this black paint.   It will help the area around the wood stove and it will help Liesl find any parts on the floor if she drops some small silver pieces.  The floor looks great'.

We're almost there'

Finished interior

Yesterday I finished putting up all of the trim in Liesl's new studio.  I attached the metal reflector and started to paint the floor with a high heat paint.  I need to finish painting and attach the wood stove. We also need to replace the interior hollow core door.  I'm really proud of this space, we put it together with no budget.  The insulation and some plywood were donated by our friend Jeff.  Our lanlord donated the metal and I made the doors out of a large crate I found near a dumpster.  The trim is recycled 1 x 3's