"WITH A SENSITIVE EYE, THE RISK OF TOUCH, AND A HEART THAT IS ON FIRE..." - BM
An introduction to my philosophy:
I find that good design starts with an acclimatized eye. As Federico Mendez once told me, "take time to nurture your eye and mind with good aesthetics; pay attention to details, shapes, proportions, and color... that process takes time."
So we begin using our eyes, with thoughtful contemplation, taking into account the material at hand. No one would plan a painting without taking into account the different paints available to work with. Likewise, good furniture design normally begins with examining an old
“Workmanship is the application of technique to making, by the exercise of care, judgment, and dexterity.”
― David Pye, The Nature and Art of Workmanship
Adjusting a hand plane iron by eye, a rewarding way of working...
– well dried plank of wood. Every fine cabinetmaker should surround themselves with a fine library of wood so they may peruse the colors and textures for the right plank. Live amidst the rich material, letting the eye graze over each line in the plank throughout your day, teasing out a design. Can the grain work within the context of your idea? Or will you sketch a design and command the wood to become the fruition of your idea? This is risky business. Good design is a creative co-operative with the material at hand.
Speaking of risk, it seems that in an industrially staged generation, repeatability is counted as a desirable thing, yet removes the risk of failure or better yet discovery. I would agree with much of the sentiment of David Pye's book, "The Nature and Art of Workmanship" - eluding that true craftsmanship implies inherent risk in the process. A machine almost eliminates the chance of failure, but at what cost? When we rely on our hands to work instead of machines, we become more skilled, which gives us freedom of expression. Now, because of our very personal investment into the work, we inevitably imprint our personality into it.
Diverse woods living together in harmony...
