Quick Q & A/Link break...

Just because most people don't read the comments, and it'd be nice if I could provide links to all these, here are answers to some questions from the last post:

Question:

Scott,

Wow dude, I've really been enjoying your last couple of posts. Probably because I relate to it with my music processes, but still. You write really well about it. I'd be curious to know if there is a circle of people within your industry or other people you know that are involved in this stuff that keep blogs like this too. Really impressed.

Brett

Answer:

Thanks, Brett. I don't know anyone within my own industry doing it, which is why I do it - I want it to exist.

But there are lots of people out there writing about their work - check these out, off the top of my head - If I can think of others, I'll post them:

www.gapingvoid.com - Hugh McLeod's awesome cartoons and manifesto-laden diatribes.

www.bencorman.com - Rudius Media editor documenting his own growth as a writer (and a person), while also posting some great writing.

www.englishcut.com - Saville Row bespoke tailor Thomas Mahon writes about his practice.

www.ihopetheyservebeerinhell.com - I've been really inspired by the way Tucker Max and Nils Parker are chronicling the making of their movie.

www.thebunnyblog.com and www.kungfumike.net - In between stories, both Erin and Mike often talk about the process of actually doing the writing.

And here's something really important about the concept of "just keep working" - when you truly understand what it means to work, to put your head down and just fucking put in the hours - you don't necessarily need people to tell you about it. You can just look at it, or listen to it, or read it, and you know. You just know what went into it, and it blows you away, and no one has to speak a word of it.

Question:

Hey Suapyg, could you possibly provide a couple of examples of great furniture art? I want to gain some perspective on your art vs. others.

Good post by the way.

Answer:

Wow. I could do that all day, and I'd still be afraid I wasn't scratching the surface.

Here are a few friends who inspire me - this is a wildly incomplete list, maybe in the future I can do a whole post about all the people whose work makes me want to pursue a career in refrigerator repair.

If you are a friend of mine, and I have left you off this list - I'm SO SORRY - I have to get back to work at some point today!
www.briannewell.jp
www.katehawes.com
www.matthias-studio.com
www.spacemfrs.com
www.skramfurniture.com
www.sylvierosenthal.com
www.vivianbeer.com
www.katiehudnall.com
www.isaacarms.com
www.thomashuckerstudio.com
www.danielmichalik.com
www.michaelpuryear.com

Jesus, I could keep going forever. Also check out some big name superstars:

www.ronarad.com
www.marc-newson.com
www.wendellcastle.com

Here are a couple bigshot galleries:
www.pritameames.com
www.cwgdesign.com

There are many others who don't have websites, largely because they don't need them.

Apparently, at some point I'm going to have to put up a real post about this. As I said, this list is wildly incomplete, and of course, it's without commentary.

Also, keep in mind that some of those people don't consider their work "art," they'd argue that it is just furniture. I'll have to elaborate on that, as well.

And most importantly, remember that this is only a tiny sampling of contemporary work - these people are all alive and still working. Any true representation of the field would have tons of history in it, as well - while my friend and fancy Yale scholar Ned Cooke would tell you that "studio furniture" has its roots in the 1940's, I would argue that it goes all the way back to the Egyptians. And I'd mean it.

And I'd be right (this is me sticking my tongue out at you, Ned!).

I don't necessarily want this blog to be specifically about studio furniture or art furniture or design art, or whatever the hell they're calling it these days, it's more about actually doing the work, and what the work is, doesn't really matter.

But in order to give people an idea of the scope and diversity in the tiny little corner of the world where I live, I'll try to put up a good summary somewhere down the line.

For the next few weeks (months?), though, I'm going to build these chairs - and if you're interested, I'd love it if you'd come with me and watch me do it.


See that? Y'all just got two posts for the price of one.