a look back at summer 2014

Where to begin. Summer has come and gone and fall is well underway…we’ve even experienced a brief (yet powerful) snowstorm…though, let’s get back to what summer brought us…

We exhibited in two shows. Both were juried, both went very well. The first was The Maine Craft Guild Show, on Mount Desert Island, and the second, was a fund raiser for the Laudholm Nature Preserve in Wells Maine.

Mount Desert is an incredibly beautiful area and while I don’t get much time to sightsee, Jenn (my partner) and Finn (our son) do their best to get out and about in between helping me set-up, mind the booth and break down…here’s Finn at the top of Mt. Cadillac. He LOVES when we go away for shows…

This show brought me an amazing commission for a couple who own a large family compound on MDI. The land and the small cottages on it have been in their family since the 20’s and I am honored to create a piece for them. It will consist of driftwood and mussel shells collected from their property and will be complete in the summer of 2015. Stay tuned! Here’s a peek at their incredibly magical place…

This pic was taken while I was collecting…do you see all those mussel shells?

What a spot! Truly incredible. Thank you to the family for inviting me to design and build a piece for them…

Now for the second show, The Laudholm Nature Crafts Festival. This was our first year exhibiting in this juried show and it was equally rewarding. Lots of incredibly helpful people, visitors, leads and wind! It was a hot and windy weekend, though that didn’t stop people from coming out and contributing to a fantastic nature preserve. Just after set-up (shows are a lot of work for a busy four year old), Finn decided to enjoy the daybed before everyone arrived – he was so excited for the ‘opening’, can you tell?

A new gallery owner happened to walk by our booth and fell in love with Points to Sea (the large circular assemblage above), so much so that they requested it to be exhibited in their new gallery, Port Gallery, Kennebunk, Maine, and that’s where it now hangs…Check it out.

New works were commissioned and pieces were sold. All in all two great shows and one fabulous summer…

I couldn’t do any of this if it wasn’t for the support and help from my partner, Jennifer; she is  the business side of Designs Adrift, my organizer and photographer. And my son, Finn;  he keeps me smiling and is always willing to help. Thank you both.

A few more pics from our summer of 2014. What a summer it was!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New works, commissions and more to come…

It’s been far too long since we’ve posted from our driftwood world here in Maine…and while Michael has been busy designing and building new works, he’s also been busy with commissions…a few of which are pictured here.

This set of three are titled, Sea Bubbles. They were designed to compliment another assemblage (below), titled, Points to Sea, previously made to be exhibited in an upcoming show, though Points to Sea will never make it to the show, because it’s already been purchased.

Here it is installed in its’ new home;

 

 

It’s an assemblage created from Maine collected driftwood and mussel shells with a custom stainless frame surrounding and within…it looks incredible in its’ new home…

The other commission was to create a set of three side stump tables, also made from Maine collected driftwood. This set is the perfect compliment to this space. Don’t you agree?

More to come soon…

wharf and channel

Winter is here, the holidays are over and 2014 is well underway…

Life sure has been busy (as I’m sure it has been for you too!) and I have a few new works completed as well as underway…here is one of the completed ones , which is titled, ‘Wharf and Channel’.

Driftwood and found lobster warp are what make this piece.

The warp represents the water and its’ ever changing colors…and the wood, well, is the wharf.

There are lots of wharves here in Maine, though unfortunately, many are becoming privatized…thankfully though, our town still has a few piers which are for its’ residents and the general public.

They are assets not only for the lobsterman and fisherman who use them daily, but also for those of us who enjoy being ‘on the water’ and everything surrounding it…sunsets, the hum of lobster boats coming in or going out, seagulls chattering, the lapping of the waves against the rocky coast or simply to watch the sun dip below the horizon…water access is important…for everyone…

Wharf and Channel.

The process;

Available now.

Enjoy.

Scouting

The leaves are changing, fall is here and the past two weeks have been filled with scouting…scouting for driftwood…

I’ve been checking out various areas in Northern and Western Maine and it has been absolutely beautiful – albeit the colder temperatures being blown in with gusto…

Dark skies made for dark waters…

cold days and nights…

Evenings were spent camping at various camp sites and days were spent driving down logging roads which felt (and sounded) as if they had been covered with boulders. Boulders of all shapes and sizes…so rough in fact that on the day before I was to head home, an unfortunate large bump sent my trailer ‘over the edge’ – no, not over a cliff, but over the edge of structural limitations. The trailer snapped in two.

Uh, oh…

No one is around.

Time to think. Rig it enough to get to town and get it repaired – hopefully.

Check the phone for any reception – one bar, phew…most of the week it said,  ‘no service available’…

I called where I had camped the night before – luckily, the owner, knew a welder. A good welder.

Now, I just had to get there.

It took me three hours to go only a few miles…but I made it.

The welder was better than good – he was a magician…he suggested I drive only on paved surfaces, at least until I get the boat off the trailer…

I had other plans. I still had one more spot to scout. He looked on with disbelief when he saw me pull out and turn left, instead right…

I was glad I did because I came across two more table bases and a beautiful view.

 

What a trip it was…

Spring Tide III

Spring Tide III complete

 

 

my biggest fan

So while I posted last week about the new piece – Spring Tide III, this week will be more about the person taking the photos (as well as more photos of this most recent piece), than about the piece itself.

My business and life partner, Jennifer is always taking photographs, whether it’s of our son, our home, life, her garden, food or my work – it seems our life is always being documented photographed…

While I tease her about the fact that the camera is always out and being used, I’m also grateful for her love of the camera (and the time she dedicates to editing, etc.), as I don’t share the same passion for it as she does.

If it wasn’t for her and her camera I wouldn’t have any of these beautiful photos…or this blog…

Thank you Jenn.

Spring Tide III

So while I’ve been busy working on the dining table base, I’ve also started another new project Spring Tide III. This piece will be smaller than the prior two Spring Tides, though still impressive.

It is being made for a local shop in Portland Maine, K*Colette. It’s a fabulous home goods store and the perfect fit for my work…

We’ve been looking into retailers to sell through, though it’s not always easy…so when Karen, the owner of K*Colette contacted us, we were thrilled. We will be selling a few pieces through her shop, but for now, Spring Tide III will be the first addition.

While it may look like a simple project, it’s not as simple as it looks…it’s a puzzle of sorts – a mesmerizing puzzle – a puzzle with many pieces, though only a ‘few’ fit.

Dark will be contrasting light in a specific pattern –  specific to each individual piece, as well as the whole…

Spring Tide III underway;

driftwood dining table

The weather seems to be turning, well, sort of…enough so that I am now able to work outside  (and not  be in a fully insulated suit), while listening to the crashing surf in the distance…at least while the chainsaw is off!

Time to get back out there and start collecting again, but until then I’ve started working on this piece which I think may become a base for a dining table…we’ll see what transpires…also hoping for some surf – my other passion!

What would you like to see made from driftwood?

 

Like this idea? Check out Designs Adrift for more driftwood table ideas…

My second running horse is now complete and in its’ new home in Washington DC. The client requested the cherry base and is something I wouldn’t have thought to use, though it’s a nice contrast and I’m pleased with the effect…now that my current commissions are complete, I can begin to work on new works. New works which have been on my mind for a number of months now and I am very excited to begin. Stay tuned for more…

 

side tables

Not only have I been busy working on the coffee table mentioned last week, but I’ve been designing and building a pair of custom side tables…Each is hand made with mortise and tenon joinery and then topped with gorgeous (and heavy!) 3/4″ inch glass – I am pleased with how they’ve turned out  – what do you think?