Hi Y'All from Kentucky

[HoboMonk]

Welcome to my journey.

WHAT

I make rustic furniture and mixed media art and crafts.

DESIGNS

I have chosen to follow the path of my ancestors, yet blend in my own personal style. My designs are based upon my family's Appalachian tradition, my life experiences and my personal preferences. I strive to make each design my own. I make no apologies for artistic license.

INFLUENCES

My personal style is a fusion of Appalachian and Asian influences.

* Appalachian (Kentucky, North Carolina, Eastern Cherokee)

My mother’s people were woodsmen and furniture makers from North Carolina. They were also part Cherokee. Most of my techniques are based upon what I saw in my youth.

* Asian (Japan, China, Korea)

I studied Asian furniture making techniques in my youth. Japanese hand tools are my first choice, even though my style is primarily based upon my family's Appalachian heritage.

PRINCIPLES

• Recycle
  
• Re-Purpose
  
• Rejoice
  
  TECHNIQUES
  I mainly use hand tools, including electrified hand tools. Most of my techniques are based upon family tradition. I am skills-oriented rather than tool driven. I have found that Japanese-style hand tools generally fit my needs. However, I also use modern tools that are carefully chosen if they fit my needs, but only after I have committed myself to learning how to best use them. I am open to any tool that is useful in my quest.
  
  MATERIALS
  I seldom buy wood. Instead, I seek and harvest uncommonly common materials from my region and during my travels. I particularly like natural materials such as twigs, roots, bark, vines and driftwood. I use a variety of found wood such as barn wood, used bourbon barrels and architectural pieces. I also use like to incorporate metal objects (mostly iron, brass, and copper), leather, and other natural materials such as stones, shells and animal bones. Lastly, I am always looking for old or broken furniture that I can repurpose in new and artistic ways.
  
  FINISHES
  I specialize in using vintage artisan finishes including milk paints, ammonia fuming, ebonizing, natural dyes, heritage varnishes and shellacs. I make or blend all of my own finishes. I was a clinical chemist in a former life and have experience in formulating finishing products. Therefore, I often modernize my formulations by using newer or safer ingredients that may not have been available to my ancestors.
  
  EXPERIENCE
  I have over forty years experience in crafting, restoring and repurposing furniture. I've studied Japanese and traditional American styles of furniture design and construction. I'm well traveled and have observed and studied traditional woodworking techniques in other countries, including Kenya and Germany.
  
  WHY
  I chose the rustic path to get back to my roots and to be closer to nature. I want to preserve the traditional rustic crafts I saw when I was a child growing up in Kentucky and to blend in my own experiences. I adhere to no sacred boundaries of style or purpose.
  
  PHILOSOPHY
  Grandpa said, "Use what you've got. Do what you know".
  I say, "Acquire skills, not tools".
  Moreover, I strive to simplify my craft by eliminating non-critical tasks, delegating some tasks to other artisans and focusing on what makes my creations unique.
  
  GOALS
  My goals for 2010 include:
  
  • Simplify.
    
  • Improve.
    
  • Focus.
    

  To those ends, I am focusing on designs that reflect my core values, yet remain honest to the rustic genre. I want to rethink my choice of materials and finishes so that they have the least negative impact on the environment.

  OTHER

  I’m a professional writer and consultant (business, taxes and technology).

  NOTE

  I prefer not to answer private messages on this forum.

[Ben H]

Welcome good sir, I'd like to extend a good ol' KY howdy to ya!

In case anyone is wondering, we really don't talk like this....most of us anyway.

[GeorgeStringerIII]

So... Cards or Cats?

[Ben H]

Phhh, CATS man. I bleed the blue sir.

[PaulMarcel]

Nice intro, Hobo. Wanted to read exactly this when I kept seeing your posts include "appalachian and asian" influences in your signature.

I'd be interested to see pictures of your work. Do you have a website? If not, could you add some to our gallery? Either way, sounds very very intriguing.

Welcome!

[LCW]

We have a lot in common, it seems.  I hope you're still active here because I'd like to pick your brain about a challenge I've come up against. I also repurpose old furniture, and I also infuse my designs with multi-media crafting (primarily mosaics).  If you are willing, send me a message with how I can email you.  I'm betting you've already figured out the answer to my current problem!  (I'd message you, but you noted that you prefer not to receive PMs)

 

Lyn