Catching up after the Chicago International Show

After a relatively smooth trip to Chicago - just a 2 hour hold in Seattle airport because of storms in Chicago area, we had a very smooth time at the show. A number of old friends stopped by to say hello and (even better) many purchased something. Once back in Vancouver, I had to start working on the orders I had received. I had two orders for one of my acrylic chandeliers and as usual, I made changes to the design for each one. Here are two photos of one of them. I love the pattern it throws on the floor. I'll try and get a photo of it suspended above a table: the result should be good.

New light designs

the base on this one is all wood

As the winter gets grayer and darker out here in Vancouver  in the rain forest belt (temperate kind) I decided making some new lights would help brighten my days. One of the new lights uses stone for the base, which acts as a great counter-weight for cantilevered shades. I'm using LEDs  in the lights as usual. 

One light is another sculpture using some acrylic tubing that Phyllis Tucker (no relation) generously gave me.

glow in the dark bull rushes???

stone base

the arc goes up about 7 inches

I just like the contrast of rectilinear and curved

Modern Minis at COSTCO!!!!!

I was at my local Costco today and was pleasantly shocked to discover they are carrying a modern dollhouse for Christmas. I believe it is made by KidKraft; I have to go back and check. At the time I was on a grocery mission, and didn't pay enough attention. I've attached a photo I took with my very poor phone camera. I shall try and get some more photos and information - such as price.

Fire! Fire!

I've started assembling a new type of flicker unit for my fireplaces; this one will work with batteries as well(coin type, so don't take up much space). The effect is one of glowing embers, although I do have another type that is more like an active fire. This video is of  a unit using batteries.
What do you think?

My how time flies when one does not focus. There were a few distractions like illnesses and the like, but mainly inertia that stopped me from keeping the blog up-to-date. Let's see if I can do better.
The Good Samaritan Showcase of Miniatures is a beautifully run show (all by volunteers) in the San Jose California area. We (my wife Jeremie and I) had a good time and enjoyed a couple days visiting friends in San Francisco after the show.
Now it's back to work. I've added a couple of new art deco - moderne pieces that are variations on some earlier pieces of mine.

the front is Red Heart

yes, they are drawers

Top in Brazilian Cherry , base is Padauk 

Back from the Chicago International

This year almost everything went as planned for the show, nothing got lost, nothing (much) got broken, and had enough sales to make the venture worthwhile. It would have been a practically perfect trip if it weren't for the little issue of getting to the airport at 7:30 AM for what turned out to be an 8:45 PM departure. For a mere $150, that little glitch was fixed (imagine lots of bad language here).
A couple of people asked me to teach a workshop building a mid-century modern roombox. If I can get enough confirmed interest I'll do that. My workshop on "advanced LEDs " was full, and I think everyone got something out of it. I changed my approach in midstream when I saw that I was going to lose some people. Always good for an adrenalin rush - making up a class as you give it.

Homework assignment: download this book

I recently went to an show at the Bellevue Arts Museum in, funnily enough, Bellevue, Washington, on George Nelson, one of the giants of 20th century design. It was quite small, but I saw a number of examples of his work that I was not familiar with (unlike his bench, which I admire and make). The King county library system (you won't be surprised to learn that Bellevue is in King county) had a handout available at the show which lists of books by George Nelson, including this FREE download of "Tomorrow's House: a complete guide for the Home-builder" . I'm only part way into it, but it's a fascinating read on the how and why of modernism, especially in the USA of the mid century and the ideas can certainly be transferred to the mini domain. I'd love to hear other modern enthusiasts' opinions.

in De Stijl - so to speak

I know puns are the lowest form of humour but I can't miss a chance like this. 

Stephanie commented she thought there was some feel of Mondrian in the golden section display cases. He and Gerrit Rietveld belonged to the Dutch design group De Stijl (The Style). I understand that it was Mondrian who suggested the Red/Blue colour scheme to Reitveld - the original chair was plain wood. In any event here's my photo of the pieces together.

Red/Blue chairs and display unit

A Couple of Golden Section Display units

I mentioned previously I had a couple of other display units based to some extent on the golden section. These particular units are about 6" (15cm tall) but scale down quite nicely; the golden section is a ratio of side lengths, not a fixed number.

Golden sections and rectangles

I've recently completed a couple of books on the use of the golden section in design - yes I know I have to get a life - and made a couple of pieces trying to use the value as much as possible. This display unit is one result. It works both as a vertical and horizontal piece. 

About 6 " 15 cm tall

Here's a shot with one of Neil Carter's nice deco pieces on display. I have a couple of other units that I will take photos of and add here. There are some other examples shown in my modern furniture pages. I've also made some "clip on" led lights, so the individual compartments can be lit up. Putting a back on the piece is a good idea as it hides the wires - also means it's easy to make battery powered.

Same unit, horizontal orientation

New small table - and trying to show the figured wood top

I was rummaging through my "nice pieces of wood to use some day" and came across a chunk of figured maple that the late great Ken Manning (of mini instruments fame) gave. I decided that it would work well in a small table so I put together what I think is a quite elegant little piece. The trick is showing people the amazing figure in the maple top. I finally decided that short of a video, the best way would be to take several pictures from the same vantage point, and rotate the table so the top does its magic. It still isn't as good as actually seeing the changes as you move your head, but is a step in the right direction. The table is about 3 " (7.5 cm) long and the maple is trimmed with ebony.

The jig(s) is up.

Ouch - terrible pun. In any event, moving right along, I recent had an order for one the classic Reitveld Red-Blue chairs, which is one of my all time favourite designs, although I wouldn't actually sit in one unless forced to. It is VERY low, and obviously not well padded. 

It also is a "challenge" to make.  Each of the "sticks is less than 3/32 " square (2.5 mm) which is a very small gluing surface. In addition, everything has to be perfectly square. I do 2 things to help me keep my sanity making the chair; I use lots of jigs and Scotch - no, no, brass pins, to hold the joints.

In no particular order, here are some snaps of the various jigs being used in the construction process.

a new cabinet base for a shelf unit

As part of a recent commission I've been playing with a new look for a low base to support a shelving unit. The idea was to raise the shelf unit up high enough off the floor so the contents of the lower sections could be seen. I think this may do the trick. It's made of rosewood and ebony and stands about 1.75 inches (4.4 cm) tall and 5 inches (12.4 cm long). The length was dictated by the niche where the unit is to go in the client's room box. The doors are real glass and do slide. Getting them in place was a "joy" shall we say?   I'll put up the complete piece - base and shelf when I've got a suitable photo.

square tiles on floor are 1/2 inch square

getting the drop on a space problem

First - please excuse the bad pun.

One of my clients had a problem; she had a small room box but wanted quite a variety of furniture in it, including a dining table and some chairs. I suggested a couple of stackable chairs and a drop leaf table. The table is quite small when closed and against a wall - just about 20 scale inches (50 cm) deep and 24 (60 cm)wide, but opened fully it is 68 inches (173 cm) long.

The brass circles are the ends of rods I used to peg the cross piece joint. I thought they and a nice contrast to the rich wood colour.

I only have one swing out support - hey it's my design and this keeps it lighter looking.

More new furniture

I've been focusing on furniture lately, partly because I can only have so many room boxes on hand (sort of LOL). I came across another interesting Paul Frankl design that I modified slightly  - a low bookcase. This piece clearly shows the influence oriental designs had on Mr Frankl. I took this photo of it beside the coffee table I recently made as well. The bookcase is about 29 scale inches high.

Based on  Paul Frankl originals

thing-of-purpose table

I recently came across a napkin ring that just begged me to get it and do something with it; so I did. The result is a table about 17 scale inches tall, with a acrylic top. I'll have something on it when I take photos for the web site, but I sort of like the "art photo/sculpture" aspect of this shot.

More Frankl Art Deco furniture

While doing some research for a commission, I came across a goldmine of images of Art Deco period furniture by the American Designer Paul Frankl at an old auction listing

I am in the process of "miniaturizing" a number of the pieces: here, for example, is a progress shot of my take on an oriental coffee table. Among the changes - different colours, discarded the black glass top as superfluous in this colour scheme, and removed the metal rod supports as well.

I couldn't resist the raspberry from my garden as an indication of scale. The table is 14.5 scale inches tall and 28 inches long. I'm probably going to do the occasional table as one of my next projects.

Well, I have been doing things although you wouldn't know it from the blog. One item was a request from a long time customer for a light based on a Kharbarosk Lamp. After many false starts - making the complete rings out of wood was one issue - I came up with this:

Uses an LED for the light source

It's about 1.5 inches - 3.75 cm tall and the rings are about 7/8th inches - 2.2 cm in diameter.

 I also spent some time making a pair of Frankl dressers - in Birds' Eye maple that also proved challenging but overall I think they came out well. These are another item that proves hard to photograph well. The wood patterns actually are much more attractive when seen "live". I'm working on a version in plain woods that should photograph better. These were BIG dressers - 77 inches 195 cm. tall.

battery powered track light

I just completed an order which included a battery powered track light. I'm quite pleased with the final product although it did end up requiring more work than I first thought. For one, I had to mill out part of the channel (base) interior so the battery I had selected would fit. The final product is quite nice however.

Back from London - definitely not richer but possibly wiser!

Well, let's hit the high points of the KDF show first - well organized, nice venue, many quality dealers who are also, naturally being miniaturists, very nice people to meet and talk to. Many complements on my designs and work BUT not enough people actually following up by opening their wallets. Mind you the economy and a 20% sales tax doesn't help, but STILL! Fortunately we stayed on for and extra 10 days and really enjoyed London. We were told that it was the warmest, driest spring ever and we only had 1/2 hour of rain in the whole time we were there. Did a lot of museum visiting.
Well, back to the drawing board: I am filling a number of orders for battery operated lights including one for one of my e head track light units and a fireplace flicker unit. There seems to be a market for that at least for now.
 I saw some commercial (and to be fair - much cheaper - and old fashioned styled) battery operated LED table lights and a chandelier at the Vancouver Miniatures show on Sunday and they were really very cold/bluish. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone right now.

a new Art Deco or modern light and chair

Just some more playing around trying to get a enough unique items to generate some buzz (and sales of course!) at te next show. The light has 9 LEDs in it and the rings alternate between chrome and gold plating - kind of hard to make out in the photo.