Abstract

The primary motive for this body of work was to begin an ongoing study and development of traditional craftsmanship in the realm of furniture design. While the resulting body of work is not necessarily about craft, it is certainly a conversation of understanding craft and traditional techniques. I do not consider myself a master of my own craft, though I do believe that a high level of respect should be given to tradition. In other words, before one can undergo the development of a personal perspective regarding design, I believe it is imperative to take the time to build the proper skills and knowledge. Whatever the craft might be.

Within this was dialogue of furniture, I also engaged myself in the development of a personal aesthetic direction. The presence of influence was heavily considered and recognized, and as a result, the body of work gives a nod to other furniture designers. I also took cues from past design movements including the Art Deco and the Memphis Design group. As color played a large role in each piece, I was also strongly inspired by the works of past and contemporary painters including Josef Albers, and Ellsworth Kelly.

As mentioned in the proposal, the idea of gathering and sharing was also at the center of my research. It came down to understanding how these objects would exist in a living space. This concept served to help me choose which archetypes of furniture pieces to investigate. A dining table supports shared meals, a bar cart promotes shared drinks, armchairs paired with a side table encourages shared conversation and perhaps a shared drink.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Furniture design; Tables--Design; Bars (Drinking establishments)--Equipment and supplies--Design

Publication Date

4-26-2017

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Furniture Design (MFA)

Department, Program, or Center

School for American Crafts (CIAS)

Advisor

Richard Tannen

Advisor/Committee Member

Andy Buck

Advisor/Committee Member

Peter Pincus

Comments

Physical copy available from RIT's Wallace Library at NK2260 .F59 2017

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Plan Codes

FNAS-MFA

Download

Share

COinS