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Chris Becksvoort and Alex Dulberg Threads Of Simplicity 2002 Maple, bird's eye maple, cherry, dogwood, hop hornbeam, apple, walnut, plum, birch, dye, thread, steel and brass. 30 x 13 x 11 . $14,000 Inspired by nearly four hundred meticulously turned sewing spools in the collection of the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Museum in New Gloucester, Maine, this cabinet is a spiritual tribute to the superior aesthetic sensibility and extraordinary woodworking craftsmanship of the Shakers. Made by furniture maker Chris Becksvoort and wood turner Alex Dulberg, Threads Of Simplicity is a miniature reproduction of a tall Shaker cupboard and houses eighty-seven replica sewing spools that embody the spirituality found in everyday Shaker life. As Becksvoort states, "the Shaker spools are amazingly fine and difficult to turn. They are spindle- turned, yet the shaft is only about a quarter inch in diameter. The two end caps (or flanges) are anywhere from half an inch to one and a quarter inches in diameter, and merely one-eighth inch thick tapering to a thin edge…. They were all turned before the days of sandpaper; only sharp tools were used." Made a century and a half ago, the Shaker spools that inspired this cabinet and its replicas are wooden jewels and prime examples of the unwavering dedication and craftsmanship of the Shaker. Doug Haslam, Linda Chow, Fred Coates, Jeff DeBoer, Debra Yelva Dedyluk, Mark Dicey, Gordon Galenza, Trudy Golley, Christina Greco, Crys Harse, Bonny Houston, Paul Leathers, Kari McQueen, Les Pinter, Colleen Rauscher, Bruce Watson, Louise Williamson Ein Kleiner Wunderschrank (micro thaumata) 2002 Case: Walnut, baltic birch plywood, brass hinges and catch, and lacquer finish Objects: Sterling silver,18K yellow gold plate, moon stones, earth magnets, wire, feathers, fish hooks, paper, ink, slide mounts and carrier, transparencies, found objects, paint, wood, laminate, ceramic with glaze application, Rhodoid, tarantula molt, glass, copper wool, depletion silvered Sterling silver, Ormolu (24Kt. gold on bronze), computer chip, lace, gauze, finger cots, iodine copper, wire, sphere magnet, Lima bean, cloth, Datura pod, papier maché,Pistachio shells, snail shells, flower, fabric, cat’s whiskers Inner works and object alterations: baltic birch ply, acrylic paint, cork, wire, toilet paper, sandpaper, glass beads, Maccassar Ebony, Mylar, paper, Granitex, magnets, Pernambuco, aluminum and glass watchcase covers, Rosewood, glass bottles, assorted spices, cigarette package foil, cheesecloth, brass hinges and screws, sea sponge, Mahogany, doll eye, brass and aluminum (tube, wire and rod), Hemlock, foam, rocks, photocopies (images, words and symbols), sheet steel, Cherry, plastic aileron hinges, glue, gold leaf, cloth, purpleheart, iodine, wax, copper (sheet and powder), Avodire, ink, thread, mirror 16 x 13 1/2 x 16 1/2 in. $20,000 View the Proposal The quintessential collaborative effort, Ein Kleiner Wunderschrank (micro thaumata) is a fascinating cabinet whose production was overseen by Doug Haslam and contains contributions from sixteen different artists. Envisioned as a cabinet that would combine To Pao Ko, the 17th century Chinese curio cabinets, with Wunderkammer, curiosity rooms found in Renaissance Europe, the artists were faced with a further challenge in that all of their contributions had to fit into a tabletop-sized cabinet that could be held in two hands. In addition the final cabinet, when closed, was to act as a shipping case suitable for travel with all pieces stored safely inside in an intricately constructed series of compartments. In general, To Pao Ko were cabinets owned by Ching dynasty emperors whose form was probably based on the traveling cases of Ming dynasty scholars. However, rather than containing necessities for travel, To Pao Ko cabinets contained a variety of objects intended for the enjoyment of the owner. Objects such as miniature carvings in ivory or jade, and minute scrolls of painting or calligraphy were held in the cabinets, usually in secret compartments with trick latches. The cabinets themselves also served as display cases for their curious contents. The process of opening the cabinets and discovering their secret cavities was just as important as the objects themselves. Wunderkrammer were rooms found in Renaissance Europe that held private collections of "wondrous" objects, both natural and man-made. Items such as a three-tailed lizard or an epic battle carved in a cherry stone are indicative of the objects that were displayed. When brought together in one room, this eclectic array of objects was meant to celebrate the marvelous, the strange, and the rare. These collections formed the basis of many of today's museums. As in the cabinets and rooms that influenced its realization, the objects included in Ein Kleiner) vary in form and subject matter. This variety enables numerous juxtapositions to occur both in storage and display, allowing countless narratives and scenarios to be imagined by the viewer. First Page Jump to Page: 1 2 3 4