" and now for something completely different " ....

 

 every now and so often, i get the urge to break out of the natural wood/stained wood palette and stretch a little.  i have done it several times, like in the picture of the desk below that i made back in the late 80's ... lately too, i've been doing some pottery with bright colors and patterns, and when i had to make a piece for a guild of vermont furnituremakers show at the vermont statehouse, i thought,
why not ??  click the photos to enlarge them ...

 i started with some sketches, and a 30"slab of white oak that has 

been hanging around for a while now.  i have a 6' chunk left that would
make a nice small dining table

first sketch with a natural top and red edges

 

sam and i had recently been to the clark art museum to see david smith's circles, so there was that ...

and once i had the sketch/drawing, and the slab

 

the base just sort of designed itself

 being still a little unsure, i painted the bottom of the top first, as a test of the concept

i  made a 'pattern' on the cnc, which i used as a 'guide' while i hand painted the circle motif.  i raised it off the suurface with some carpet glides so i didn't have to worry about 'bleed' and got a round, yet handpainted looking circle.  the dark surround was a full strength coat of dark brown/black aniline dye that i painted, brushed out, and left to dry.  it was important to me to get some strong color, yet still see the grain of the wood through it when i was 'done'.

 

all in, all done, and in montpelier now .. the show opens saturday, and i will have more on that soon.