A Custom Console Table

Hi everyone,

Here's an attempt to get some activity going on the blog again. What are you working on these days? Anything new? A new twist on an old theme? An old twist on a new theme? There was a lot of interest expressed at the last meeting about sharing what we're doing and talking about our work and techniques, etc. I'm all for it, and while this may not be the best medium for everyone for expressing and sharing those ideas (depending on your comfort level with blogs), it's probably the easiest way to do it for now... I hope that we can start having some occasional smaller meetings at different people's shops in between quarterly meetings too, to talk shop, process, design, and all those other important topics we never seem to have enough time for at meetings.

Anyway, here's a new piece and new

design I completed during the summer. It's based on a smaller piece I had made (a new twist on an old theme) that had the same color scheme, texture, and wood for the top. This one is much larger, and based on dimensions requested by an interior design firm: 32" H X 60" W x 16" D. I hadn't made a console table that long and low and wide before, but those proportions worked out well for this one.

Conceptually, I was playing with the interaction of the simple geometric shapes of both positive and negative space - how the rectangle of the top relates to the rectangular cutout under it, and how the curved sides of the carved form relates to the curve of the arch base, and the space under it by the floor. Since it is a pretty massive piece (that sucker is heavy!), I wanted to give a little feeling of some lightness, and make it a

little more dynamic by arching the base up off the floor, instead of having the base sit flat and very planted and static on the floor. The texture of the carving and the quilted figure of the top were two other elements that I wanted to create a little visual interaction between - both are very active and busy in different ways... The texture is painted with iridescent silver paint... A trip to Japan last year had a pretty strong influence on the design of this piece.

More pics below, including the raw piece before paint and finishing. All critiques, positive and negative accepted. I've stared at this thing so long while building it, that it would be nice to hear how others see it. What works and what doesn't work about this piece? What do you like and what do you hate about it? Don't worry, I can take it.

www.davidhurwtizoriginals.com