CFDA Newsletter

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

ANNOUNCEMENT - from JUDITH DIASSELLISS (webmaster)

If there are ANY EVENTS at all that anyone would like to have posted, please send me an e-mail at any time and I can update the calendar for you!

my e-mail is jd@graphicnomads.com

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Program Schedules:

March 11- Where Do We Get Design Ideas? John Kriegshauser will lead a forum on this very relevant topic. After all, we have pieces to create for the two upcoming shows! John will explain how notable design luminaries generate their ideas, as well as where he goes to get his. Dolly Spragins has volunteered to weigh in on the subject. This is a membership participation topic; share your pet ways of generating ideas, and learn everyone else's.

April - The Design of Large Tables. Chris Brandel will lead a forum on the issues pertaining to the design of large tables. Dolly Spragins, Bill First and John Kriegshauser will join in to share their own insights into the mysteries of large table design. Come and share your own experiences too.

Not yet scheduled- The Craft Schools. Let's hear about what goes on at the craft schools that have established themselves around the country from people who've been there. We're talking about Andersen Ranch (Barry Newstat?), Penland (Tim Cozzens), Marc Adams (Still need someone) and the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship (Tor Faegre). Can anyone think of a school we should add to this list?

Future Months:
The following programs are in the pipeline but are still under development.
Look for specifics in the future newsletters.

- The Design of Built in Cabinets

- Presenting Your Designs to Customers

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CFDA Meeting Report:

CFDA Minutes - February 12, 2008

The business meeting commenced at 7:05.

21 members were in attendance

Per Chris, the Call For Entries for the ISDA show is on. The show theme is 'Deceptive Furniture or Furnishings", and will be presented on the first floor galleries, on the Michigan Avenue side, of the Chicago Cultural Center.

Applications are due by April 18th. The pieces will be juried and acceptance will be announced on May 6th. The show is set to happen from October 11th through January 5th. There will be a reception on October 17th, shared with noted photographers Barbara Crane and Guri Gill.

The exact jury members are still TBA, but Lee Weitzman so far is a tentative juror.

The process for the Rising From Ashes show was discussed next. The website is risingfromashes.org, and the jury has been selected.

As has been covered previously, this will be a traveling show. And while there is a possible opportunity to have it at the Cultural Center, we would rather not wear out our welcome there - this would be a fourth time in that location.

Fully half of the budget will be in moving expenses, then advertising which we hope to offload onto the individual venues. We discussed the logistics and particulars about the budget, and proposed some dollar figures that will need to be allocated to the individual tasks at hand.

The business meeting was over at 7:45

Featured Speaker: David Orth

David comes to the group with an extensive background in math and philosophy as well as metal and woodcraft. As such, David tends to like to get into the mindset and history of the various designers, not simply the nature of the individual pieces, themselves.

He discussed some of the direct and indirect challenges that we face in our craft and in our design. Some of the issues he covered were how to proceed and take the next step. How to divine a path for marketing as well as in creativity. He identified that there is often a lack of direction when you become 'stuck', and that there is occasionally a fuzzy lack of personalization with marketing and business strategies.

He proposed that there was a process model for getting past these issues. His point is that this is simpler than a theory, but it can be hard to apply over time.

When faced with a state of 'stuckness' you have some choices: you can soldier on, you can ignore it, or you can explore what part is causing the stuckness. And in facing the issue you'll often see solutions that weren't originally part of the game plan.

He shared some anecdotes about working with a set of materials that behaved in a very different way than he expected them to. As such, the original goal that he'd set out to accomplish was either going to become daunting, at best, or downright impossible. He proposes stopping to look. Don't get angry at it, don't just proceed blindly and risk truly ruining whatever it is that you may have that's working. Be open to changes. Be open to reconsider and pay attention to the opportunity to change your expectations for the piece.

In a parallel set of processes, marketing of ourselves and our work can often result in a similar set of 'stuck' situations. The first is that we're bombarded by off-the-shelf and one-size-fits-all solutions to marketing. This, David likened to working in the dark. You have no way of judging the effectiveness, or merit of a solution to you and your situation.

He proposes that for many of us, being in the shop is a good thing, where being out of the shop and out selling is not so good. We'd much rather be in the shop.

So that represents another case of 'stuckness' that needs to be examined. It's these personal bottlenecks that are actually telling us something.

David ultimately recommends that we explore that stuck place. That we don't run from it, but rather look down deep to find out what's at the core. Granted, selling your work can be emotionally difficult. And he went so far as to realize that he didn't really want to sell, per se, but to be engaged with people in a 'furniture way'. Together these told him something. So you need to ultimately settle into the knowledge of the way that you have become stuck.

How do you do this? Let the problem come closer in. Pay attention to it. Stop trying to solve the problem. Relax your initial expectations. Then once you see that the new problems are possible opportunities you get the opportunity to let the piece speak in a completely new way that wasn't possible had you rigidly held to your initial set of expectations.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Member Profile:
Matthew Paul Speer

Matthew Paul Speer
Matthew Paul Furniture
www.matthewpaulfurniture.com

Located at:
Areté Studios
6311 West Roosevelt Road
Berwyn, IL 60402

Matt Speer Questions for BAC Interview:

1.What inspired you to make custom furniture?

When furnishing our first apartment after grad school, my wife and I started out by acquiring antique furniture that was inexpensive and in need of restoration. As the restoration work became increasingly complex, I soon found it easier to create my own pieces from scratch.

2.Where did you learn your craft?

My father is a general contractor, so I grew up in an environment in which anything could be fixed. This led me to seek an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering. However, in the furniture realm, I am entirely self-taught. I rely a lot on books, periodicals, and of course trial and error.

3.What is the most difficult project you've tackled?

The most difficult project I've tackled was the Wishbone Cabinet that I built for the Chicago Design Show a few years ago. The open display area of the cabinet features a curved cherry frame that required bent laminations. The panels that filled this space were bent copper sheets that had the form of tree branches pressed into them. Normally, I try to include a new technique or method into each piece, however, the innovation of Wishbone Cabinet was pretty aggressive (see photo).

4. What is your "day job"?

I am an environmental engineer with the energy services firm WorleyParsons. I work out of the Westchester office on renewable energy projects.

5. Why did you decide to form Areté Studios?

Prior to establishing the studio, I had been renting studio space at a couple of locations on Chicago's near West side. Having spent a significant amount of time moving equipment and setting up shop it is disheartening to lose a lease and have to pack up and find another place. After losing my shared space in 2005, I decided to find a permanent location and establish my own co-operative studio space.

6. How did you come up with the name Areté Studios?

The literal Greek translation of areté is "virtue" however translated more loosely it means something closer to "being the best you can be." It seemed like a perfect fit for my philosophy and approach to life and building furniture.

7. If someone needed a custom piece of furniture made, what is the process to make that happen?

The process is actually very simple. We arrange a meeting to discuss what the client needs, then I design/sketch the potential piece and develop a proposal. Once the proposal is accepted I prepare more detailed shop drawings that are submitted to the client for approval. We also go over material selection at this time. After the drawings are approved and material and finishes are selected I fabricate the piece in the studio.

8. Who do you share your studio with?

Right now it is only Mike Russell, who also builds custom wood furniture. I am currently looking for a third artist to share the studio space on a full-time basis.

9. Where do the majority of your clients come from?

My clients are mainly interior designers and direct customers who have seen my work at shows, through Chicago Furniture Designers Association, and my website.

10. What is your favorite kind of wood to work with?

I particularly enjoy working with domestic black cherry wood. It is a difficult wood to work with because it tends to burn when cut with dull tools and can be challenging to stain.

11. What is your favorite piece you've made?

I have to say each one is special because it signifies a particular point and time in my life and work. However, the one that is most meaningful on a personal level is the crib that I built for my daughter (see photo). It was so rewarding that I was able to custom build a crib that she currently uses as a day bed. We are about to transition our newborn son into the crib and I also envision my grandchildren using the crib someday.

12. How long does an average project take to build?

Once shop drawings have been approved and materials selected, it usually takes an average of 8-10 weeks lead to complete the piece.

13. Why did you choose Berwyn for your studio space?

I chose Berwyn and specifically Roosevelt Road because I think there is a lot of untapped potential here and the location is close to my home. I see the commitment and support from the village leadership and in the arts community. I know that by working together we can establish a stronger role for the arts and ultimately successful businesses.