The Process 
24 September 2022

When building a new piece, I have a pretty good idea as to where I am going aesthetically. That doesn’t mean that I am exactly clear as to the outcome — but I am pretty comfortable changing course, or my mind, to make sure a work is “successful”. In this process I am also “engineering” it. How is this to be put together? Will the elements be secure? Are there fragile points? How will I ensure this stays together? Even how will this hang. In fact, figuring out how this hangs is one of the first things I do when starting to engineer a piece. In the past, I have completed work only to be unhappy with how it hangs so I carefully consider how heavy a piece will be and how it hangs to determine the hanging hardware.

Only when this is all put together is it ready to be stained. I have now started to photograph a piece as I take it apart. I can then review the images in reverse order to see how it goes back together after it has been stained. This step is even more critical when working on several Foundlings at a time.

Lastly, in putting the piece together, tightening screws and bolts and then gluing the hardware, can I see the Foundling take shape. It takes time to complete the process but even more time to see if the work is as successful as what I originally had in my mind’s eye. I never reach perfection but then perfection is not what I seek. It is the imperfect that is so appealing to me.