STATEMENT
I recreate classic furniture designs completely out of steel as a means of self-discovery and commentary on the fields of furniture making, woodworking, and metal fabrication. For years, I thought that I needed to be a woodworker in order to make furniture, even though steel was my material of choice, and for years I tried to combine these two materials together in meaningful ways. After making lots of uninspired works, I decided that I needed to completely eliminate wood from my work in order to make the furniture that would bring me joy.
Through this body of work, titled ‘Rust Never Sleeps’, I am able to pay homage to and in some ways make fun of furniture making and woodworking. The results are pieces which look like worn, wooden antiques, but are actually rusted steel sculptures of familiar furniture forms. Most of my works employ hollow form fabrication techniques and welding, but I also work metal in different ways, such as coiling and weaving steel wool seats or using perforated sheets to mimic caning. Doing this ensures that I can more closely replicate the original works but also highlight the versatility of the material. I find that welding and steel fabrication often get overlooked in the craft world, particularly in furniture making, so I want to show off the potential of these two fields.
I recognize the absurdity of making rusty, non-functional furniture sculptures, which is why I often give my pieces silly titles, or use pop culture references to elicit humorous responses from viewers. But I also see this as a complement to the history and perceived seriousness of woodworking and furniture making. Creating a perfect set of dovetails is of little interest to me, but I want to make furniture that sparks joy and surprise within viewers, while also provoking thoughts about the furniture we live with and the materials we encounter everyday.