OneOak Project

Philip and Jody with the boards from the OneOak tree

Art in Action ~ 19-22 July 2012

I’ve been invited to demonstrate and exhibit at Art in Action this summer, 19-22 July 2012 (http://www.artinaction.org.uk/) as part of the OneOak project. Not for the first time as I was first invited in 1982 and have since put in a regular appearance. This year, however, it will be father and son as Jody, my son who came along whilst still a baby in a buggy in 1982, will be joining me! Jody, based in Northumberland, has been making furniture for two years. When he decided on a career change from teaching it was a big surprise to me as I hadn’t given him any encouragement and neither had he shown any interest in furniture making as a child or adolescent, or so I thought. When he graduated at Cardiff in psychology I gave him a gift of a 3-day course in green woodworking taught by an inspirational Gudrun Leitz. This started him on a path, including building his own steam-bent ash yurt in which he lived for two years. His workshop is part of a converted barn near his home.

We will be exhibiting a range of furniture made from a 222-year old oak tree from Blenheim Palace as part of the OneOak exhibition, which will be taking over the Woodworking tent at Art in Action this year. Jody and I will be demonstrating the use of the hand spokeshave. This will be an opportunity for anyone, young and old, to try their hand at this versatile tool.

You can find out more about the OneOak project of the Sylva Foundation, run by Dr Gabriel Hemery, here: http://www.sylva.org.uk/oneoak/blog.php?post=2361

Fred Baier, The Right Angle

I was lucky to be able to fit in a trip to Farnham in the first week of the year before Fred Baier’s exhibition at The Crafts Study Centre museum at the University for Creative Arts finished.

Fred Baier is an artist-craftsman who goes to places furniture designer-makers, like myself, have never been to or have even never imagined! The work is provocative and challenging, yet familiar. He combines very recognisable elemental shapes (cones, torus, cubes, etc) with bold-coloured woods and highly lacquered surfaces. His forms are sculptural and bold, yet highly refined and functional.

His work contrasts dramatically with the likes of me who remain wedded to the Arts & Crafts philosophy (we produce furniture that looks like furniture!). Yet, despite the difference it was a humbling experience to see his work first hand (images are a crude substitute by comparison). It wasn’t just beautifully made, imaginatively adventurous and visually stunning, it was also mathematically accomplished, superbly engineered and technically sophisticated. James Willis, my assistant, called Fred an “inventor” and he does have the persona of a wacky genius! -;)

Dorchester Abbey choir stalls

This is the beginning of a record of work in progress for the new Choir Stalls for Dorchester Abbey. The following photos were taken at our workshop on Monday 5th of December 2011 by James Willis, one the craftsmen involved in the project. I will produce a more comprehensive reocrd later but in the meantime I hope you enjoy the images shown below. 

The making team at Philip Koomen Furniture. left-to-right: Steve Salt, James Willis, Jody Koomen, Philip Koomen and Linn Narare (intern)

Detailed drawings showing "Flying reader" and some carving designs

Drawing of main interior view of the choir stall

Linn and Steve with the choir stalls framesand end panels

Finished end panels. Also showing the mock-ups for the bench and kneelers

The end panels' recesses for the carved motifs

Philip with one of the carved sun motifs that will be fitted into the end panel recess, before it is shaped (circle) to fit!

Detail of lettering and sun motif

Detail of the front view of a choir stall showing gothic lattice design

A total of 48 panels were made for the choir stalls frames

Philip and James discuss the jointing method of the benches

The bench seats have been profiled to create a superior level of comfort for the choir!

Selected pieces of timber for the kneeler legs

Steve working on the book rests

Frames for the book and music sheets rests

Soon I hope to start making regular blog entries to show, especially, recent work and work in progress. In particular I'd like to show development and progress of the Dorchester Abbey choir stalls, which Philip Koomen Furniture aim to complete by the end of March 2012.