Child of the Hunter
“This is a lovely, lovely piece; very subtle and well executed. Beautiful wood selection. Legs are very nicely curved. Aprons are very nicely bowed. Nice minimal finish. I see no flaws at all. One of the best done pieces at the show.”
The name and inspiration for this piece came from “The Hunter,” a natural-edge desk made a couple years earlier that was born out of an appreciation for the natural-edge work of George Nakashima and the flexibility to take the idea in a slightly different direction.
The two pieces are related significantly. All the wood for both the coffee table and desk came from a single Nebraska tree which had likely been planted as part of the “Shelterbelt Project” by Works Progress Administration workers during the Great Depression. This quest to control the drought-stricken prairie exemplified our ongoing struggle to find a balance between allowing nature to be what it is, and controlling it to suit our needs.
I sought to capture this spirit by juxtaposing the natural flaws and flowing grain lines in the wood with the circular arcs and straight lines of the more refined surfaces and edges. The strength of the rigid geometry in the stand with its convex ends finds itself yielding to the natural lines of grain in the book matched black walnut planks.
Materials Black walnut and shop made brass brackets
Finish Oil and resin blend
Dimensions 38 3/4" long x 26 5/8" wide x 18" tall
Status This commissioned piece resides in the client’s Minnesota home
