FLUORESCENT BEWARE 2003
TO ME FURNITURE HAS BEEN A RESULT OF BEING IN A SITUATION THAT BOTHERS MY DESIGN SENSES, AND REVOLTING BY MAKING A PRODUCT. SIMILAR TO A LOT OF MY ARCHITECTURAL SCHEMES.
“GOD IS IN THE DETAILS”, FAMOUS MIES QUOTE ONLY GOES SO FAR WITH ME. MY LOVE OF A LOW HEAT GLUE GUN, THAT USUALLY LEAVES A BLOB, DROVE MY STUDENTS BACK TO ELMERS GLUE THAT DRIES CLEAR. I DO NOT HAVE TIME TO SIT AROUND AND WAIT FOR IT TO DRY. NOR COULD I EVER REGULATE SOMEONE ELSE TO PIECE TOGETHER MODELS LIKE GEHRY DOES. FOR ME THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE OF DESIGN IS WHERE THE DESIGN FLEXES AND COMES TOGETHER BY DIRECT FAST HANDS ON MANIPULATION OF THE PARTS.
WITH THE FLUORESCENT BEWARE SHADE I WAS LYING ON MY BACK ON MY BED IN NICARAGUA AND STARING AT AN EXPOSED FLUORESCENT 3 FOOT LIGHT BULB. NOW THAT CAN DRIVE ONE CRAZY. EVEN IN THE BEST OF TIMES I THINK THE FIXTURES FOR FLUORESCENT LIGHT FIXTURES ARE BORING AND IN BAD TASTE. SO I TOOK A COUPLE OF THIN STRIPS OF WOOD 1/2″X 1/2 ” X THE LENGTH OF THE FIXTURE, ALONG WITH SOME HEAVY WHITE PAPER THAT I CUT UP INTO SQUARES AND BUILT THIS SHADE. THE PAPER WAS GLUED ONTO THE WOOD STRIPS. THE FINAL MOUNTING BEING THE STRIPS OF WOOD SCREWED INTO THE WOOD CEILING WITH A COUPLE OF SMALL SCREWS.THE WHOLE THING MUST HAVE TAKEN AN HOUR TO DESIGN AND BUILD. THE CONSEQUENCES BEING, I LAY ON MY BACK AND STARED INTO SOMETHING THAT TURNED ME ON.
TWEAKED OVAL TABLE 2004
FACED WITH A MINIMUM PATIO IN NICARAGUA TO DINE, I BOUGHT THE LOCAL 2″X10″X1″ THICK BOARD WITH THE IDEA OF BUILDING AN OVAL TABLE. WHEN I SHOWED MY ARTIST WIFE CHRISTIAN THE DESIGN SHE TURNED UP HER NOSE, SHE WAS RIGHT, IT HAD TO BE MORE. SO I GOT TO SLIDING THE BOARDS AND DISCOVERED THE SHARP END DETAIL THAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE. THE SCRAPES FROM THE CURVES BECAME THE LEGS. THE SHARP END DETAIL SETS UP AN ELEGANT ONE OF A KIND DRINK HARBOR. WE DID DO CANDLE LIGHT FOR 4 TROPICAL DINNER SETTINGS THAT WERE SPECIAL.
MY TOOLS ARE A SKILL SAW, SABER SAW, AND DRILL. MY FINISHING LEVEL IS LACKING, BUT THE OVERALL DESIGN GRABS ONE. LAST I SAW OF THE TABLE A LAWYER SCOOPED IT UP FOR SERVICES RENDERED TO CHRISTIAN.
THE PATIO CONCRETE BLOCK DECK IS SOMOSA BLOCK, NAMED AFTER THE LATE DICTATOR, THAT HAD MOST OF THE STREETS BUILT WITH HIS BLOCK, SINCE HE OWNED THE COMPANY. THE BLOCKS ARE STRONG AND VERSATILE, THEY CAME BACK TO HAUNT SOMOSA IN THE REVOLUTION. THE BLOCKS WERE RIPPED OUT OF THE STREETS AND USED AS ROAD BARRICADES BY THE REVOLUTIONISTS. I DEFINITELY PREFER THESE BLOCKS TO COBBLESTONES.
THE CHAIRS WERE IN NICARAGUA WHEN I ARRIVED. THE FIRST TIME I SAW ONE WAS AT A RICH BEACH HOUSE, WHERE I WAS LOOKING OVER THE PROPERTY TO MAKE A DESIGN PROPOSAL. I GUSHED WITH PRAISE ABOUT THE DESIGN, SO THE OWNER GAVE ME ONE. I THOUGHT IT WAS PRICELESS. THE GIFT TURNED OUT TO BE THE ONLY PAYMENT I RECEIVED FROM HIM FOR DOING A SCHEMATIC HOUSE DESIGN. THE CHAIRS ARE FOLDABLE, DURABLE , ADAPTABLE , AND AFFORDABLE. THEY SELL FOR ABOUT $15 NOW, IF YOU BARGAIN IN ANY LOCAL MARKET. I AM TEMPTED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO GET TALLER ONES, SINCE I AM EXTENDED. I RECENTLY SAW ONE ON SOME TRENDY BEER ADVERTISEMENT ON THE BEACH. WHY GO KNOLL WHEN YOU CAN HAVE MORE FOR LESS. WHAT IS INTERESTING IS THAT THEY CANNOT BE CONTROLLED. THE BEST DESIGNED CHAIR IN THE COUNTRY FOR ALMOST NOTHING THAT NUMEROUS CARPENTERS KNOW HOW TO BUILD. THE WOOD IS LOCAL HARDWOOD.
MATTHEW THE LOCAL BRIT THAT DOES HIGH END QUALITY FURNITURE . COMPLAINED ABOUT THE CAP DETAIL TO HIDE THE STEEL CABLE THAT HOLDS THE CHAIRS TOGETHER. IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY YOU CAN SEE THE SMALL 1/2 ” CAP AT THE PIVOT POINT ON THE RIGHT OF THE PROMINENT CHAIR IN THE PHOTO. IF THAT IS ALL THAT IS WRONG WITH THE DESIGN, IT SHOULD BE FORGIVABLE.
PODIUM OLE 2004
I LOVE CLASSICAL MUSIC, AND MOST OTHER TYPES OF MUSIC AS WELL, SO WHEN I WOULD SIT IN THE MANAGUA OPERA HOUSE AND HAVE TO LOOK AT SOME CHUNKY PODIUM OF TORTURED CARVED WOOD THAT WAS SOMETHING LEFT OVER FROM THE WORST OF THE SIXTIES, I SAID TO MYSELF THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY. I WILL SHOW IT TO THEM.
SUSAN THE DIRECTOR OF THE OPERA HOUSE TRIED TO PUSH CLASSICAL MUSIC AND SHE WOULD BRING IN EXCELLENT TALENT FROM EUROPE AND AMERICA. OFTEN PERFORMING IN THE FOYER BALCONY TO A FEW CULTURAL SOULS, AND AGAIN FEATURING THE SAME NERVE RACKING PODIUM.
PODIUMS ARE THE FIRST PROP ONE SEES ON STAGE. I MUST SAY, I FIND 99% OF THEM DREADFUL.
THEY ARE MOVABLE, PROVIDE A PLACE FOR BOOKS, SCRIPT TO READ, WATER, POINTERS, MICS, BUTTONS TO CHANGE THE WORLD ETC. ALL THIS STUFF I HID.
A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK BETTER WHEN THEIR BOTTOM HALF IS COVERED UP. THE GLAMOR PEOPLE THAT ARE PERFECT ARE MUCH MORE ATTRACTIVE WHEN THEY HIDE A LITTLE AND PRANCE OUT AND BACK FROM COVER . I LAUGH AT THE CLEAR PLASTIC PODIUMS THAT WANT TO HIDE NOTHING, BUT THERE IS STILL A BUNCH OF JUNK HANGING AROUND.
SO MY APPROACH WAS TO CREATE A FLOWING FORM. LIKE A MATADOR’S CAPE, FLAMENCO DANCE SKIRT, OR A WRAP AROUND SKIRT.
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ATTRACTED TO FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT’S CAPE, SALVADOR DALI ALSO HAD A BENT FOR FLOWING CLOTHES. ALL THIS DRAMA IS A LOT MORE INTERESTING THAN THE BLACK AND WHITE PENGUIN SUITS. BUT I MUST SAY THAT FULL TAIL FORMAL WEAR SETS WELL WITH ME.
THE FINISH OF THE PODIUM BEING LIKE A GRAND PIANO, HIGHLY LACQUERED. WHEN YOU STARE AT IT THERE IS ENDLESS DEEPTH, ALL SO CLASSICAL WITH A FLARE. INCLUDED SHELVING, ELECTRONIC HOOK UP TO THE WORLD AND ROLLERS WITH LOCKING SYSTEM.
I GOT ROGER, MY PARTNER AND FORMER STUDENT, BROTHER NORMAN TO GIVE ME A BID ON MY DESIGN, I DONATED MY DESIGN FEE AND THE CONSTRUCTION COST DELIVERED WAS $1200 USA.
SUSAN TOOK THE PODIUM DESIGN TO HER BOARD, THEY CRIED BROKE AND REJECTED THE IDEA. THERE WERE PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD THAT RIVAL THE AMERICAN WEALTHY. THEY WANTED ME TO DONATE IT FOR NOTHING. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT MAKES THE RICH TICK. I AM CLUELESS.
I WENT TO THE OPERA HOUSE THIS LAST MONTH, THEY HAVE A NEW PODIUM, BUT NOTHING TO GET EXCITED ABOUT. SUSAN IS NO LONGER IN CHARGE AND CLASSICAL DOES NOT EXIST THAT I AM AWARE OF.
JUST WARMING UP WITH THE FURNITURE THING.
LIKE SO MANY DESIGNS, THE MANUFACTURING AND MARKETING STAND IN THE WAY OF GETTING FURNITURE MASS PRODUCED AND COVETED. A VERY EXCLUSIVE CLUB. AND TODAY THE DESIGN IS INSTANTLY COPIED. CREATIVENESS IS MEASURED BY HOW INVENTIVE ONE IS IN FINDING OTHER PEOPLES DESIGNS. AT MY POINT IN LIFE AND LACK OF CONNECTIONS I AM THROWING IT OUT THERE TO BE DEVOURED. IS NOT THAT THE INTERNET WAY?
THE BEAT GOES ON,
GLEN