CFDA Newsletter

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

From Dolly Spragins - Special Meeting - at 6 p.m. Tues. Dec. 11
re: Rising From Ashes, Furniture From Lost Trees

We CAN FINALLY have a meeting for this show! As you can see above, we have a name. We have nailed a date, and other details of the show with the Morton Arboretum. We have preliminary positive reception from the Chicago Botanic Garden. It is time for action!

Please come to a short meeting at 6:00 right before the regular CFDA meeting! We are anxious to get your input and help! We need additional great ideas in all areas!

PLEASE COME!!!

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Program Schedules:

December 11 Armoires and Entertainment Centers - Lloyd Natof, Bill First, and John Kriegshauser will show examples of Armoires and Entertainment Centers that they have made and talk about those pieces and general considerations that pertain to the design of small tables. Other members are welcome to join in. We will have both a digital projector and a conventional slide projector available. If people will send me their digital images by e-mail I can prepare a CD in advance of the meeting. Kriegshauser@iit.edu

Future Programs - Thoughts from John Kriegshauser:
CFDA Program Ideas that require a group of presenters. If you might be able to join a panel of presenters on any of these topics, please let me know. I want to put these on the calendar as soon as possible. All comers, especially new members or those who have not yet participated are especially welcome.

Here are three program ideas that where we can get down and talk both about the aesthetic and the highly technical aspects of design. I personally can contribute something on each of these topics except lamps. Who else could contribute to these programs?

-Program about built in cabinets

-Large tables (conference, dining, whatever)

-Program about lamps

-A program on the current magazines on furniture, furniture design and interior design and their merits and failings. The number of magazines relevant to designers and makers, in all media, is larger than ever before. Let's have people talk about their favorites, and not so favorites, and show examples.

-Program on where we go to get our ideas for furniture? When you are faced with designing a piece for a show, as we are for the upcoming Rising From Ashes and the Deceptive Furniture shows, how do you obtain and idea for your piece?

-Program on the furniture designers, makers and artists we go to for inspiration . Many of us have one or more designers whose work is of special interest and even inspiration to us. Let's have a group of people present their favorites and explain what they see in their work.

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CFDA Meeting Report:

CFDA Minutes - November, 2007

The November meeting convened at the studios of Chicago Hot Glass,

1250 N. Central Park Ave. in Chicago. The business meeting was dispensed with so that the group in attendance could take advantage of the lecture and accompanying demonstrations by the staff of the processes and equipment involved in glass blowing and casting. Several examples of incorporation of mono screen-printed images in fused sheet glass and its potential for use in tabletops were on display.

We were able to discuss a number of technical issues in glassworking with the director, Jeremy Scidmore, and were generally very impressed with the artistic and technical quality of the work being done in this shop. For anyone interested in exploring possibilities in using glass works or in setting up a learning session get more info at: www.chicagohotglass.com or by phone - 773 394 3252.

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Member Profile:
Curt Vevang

I have been a member of the CFDA for three years. I seem to miss a lot of meetings because of the messy drive from Palatine into the city. My lack of attendance is in no way indicative of my interest in this fine organization.

I am a product of the Chicago Public Schools, followed by a BSIE at the U of I in Champaign in 1963. I spent the first thirty-five years of my career in St. Louis designing, developing and selling computer systems. My wife Susan, of forty-two years, and I returned to Chicago in 2000 to be closer to three of our six grandchildren.

I have been a woodworker since my earliest recollection and for the most part have designed everything that I have made. If I can't design it first, I usually don't pursue making it. This attitude has produced an abundance of different designs over the years of varying integrity. Most of the things I design tend to be very traditional and utilitarian. I seem to have an aversion to strongly contemporary pieces. I prefer to work with unstained cherry, often times accented with glass.

In addition to woodworking, I continue to work half time as a computer programmer as well as teaching several introductory woodworking classes at Woodcraft. These include: Elements of Woodworking Design, DeltaCad, and SketchUp. -- And in my spare time I write poetry, hike, travel and work crossword puzzles.

This solid cherry, glass top sofa table contains only 8 screws but uses 28 dowels to pin 20 sliding dovetail joints and 8 through mortise and tenon joints.

A mica shade provides a warm glow.

Sometimes referred to as the Harry Potter lamp.

Crafted in cherry with unique hand made wooden hinges.
This box is designed to golden rectangle proportions.