As a furniture maker I'm interested in chairs and intend to spend my declining years making them (may the slope be long and the gradient gentle).
In a traditional woodshop, in a properly Lutheran country, you'll only find chairs in the office; for the master, the foreman and occasional customers. You stand by your bench and by the machines, always doing something. By the sweat of your brow etc. Or as the old boys would say: Lazy-boy is always on his way to the next chair (tsk-tsk). You would sit down for lunch and coffee breaks, obviously, and in the really old days many would have a little lie-down somewhere after eating.
I'll get to my point now (please don't get too excited): A few years ago, I used to hold introductiory courses in the woodshop at our local architect's school. I would gather the small group of students around a pair of standing-height work tables for initial pontificating before leading them around the shop to show them the machines and other features. There would only be a couple of tall stools for a group of 10 - 12, so the rest would have to stand on their feet the whole day. This, I quickly understood, was an unusual experience for them, and mildly distressing. There would often be a scramble to find something to sit on. Another behavior I noticed was the unconscious reluctance to let go of the smartphone. Some students would try to operate tools and machinery one-handed, or shift their phone between hands. "Maybe put the phone in your pocket?" would usually result in a giggle and a 'silly me!' -- one-handed and perpetually distracted.
I like reading your posts: perceptive and not too long :-)
This is an excellent anecdote, I can picture it immediately. There is a certain pride in standing which I've noticed in an older generation of men and which is now becoming appealing to me as well. You mention woodworking, an architect's school, phones... would you say that furniture makers are less aware or knowledgable about materials these days? I've heard this from other design teachers.
" ... would you say that furniture makers are less aware or knowledgable about materials these days?"
I'm not really in a position to answer that question; I lead a solitary life and don't meet many other woodworkers or see their work. Of course it's tempting to join the age-old chorus of grumpy, old gits lamenting the decline of standards ... because it's obviously true.
Wood is a wonderfully idiosyncratic material; each piece of lumber has its own characteristics, so you need some years experience before you can assess it shrewdly and use it to your advantage. Using hand tools (for parts of the work) greatly aids this understanding. One trend in woodworking these last few decades has been towards more use of MDF and CNC (out with the quaint, old terms, in with the acronyms): homogeneous, man-made sheet-goods cut to shape by computer-controlled router. This opens up many new possibilities, but holds no attraction for me.
Another trend goes the other way: There has been a great revival of interest in hand tool woodworking, 'green woodworking' and in later years even spoon-carving (the vegan bicyclists of the woodworking world) and other such 'crafting'/hobby activities. This should offer good opportunities for understanding wood, as well as being very insta-friendly and virtually virtuous.
If you dive into it (on YouTube for instance) you'll find that there are all sorts of woodworkers/hobbyists out there -- perhaps like never before? People will always make stuff out of wood; it grows on trees. I love it!
Thank you, a very useful insight! The romantic rediscovery of craft, against a backdrop of general dematerialisation, is a pattern I've noticed in many fields. I am thinking about writing a book on a related theme so these anecdotes are valuable to me. And now I know who to ask if I need carpentry advice!
Wessie, I think this is the best piece of yours I've read, at least as writing. The ubiquitous and physical, rethought and rephrased and charmingly set forth. Serious, but simple and light -- a souffle, a swan dive, a Matisse paper cut -- is so difficult. Bravo!
As a furniture maker I'm interested in chairs and intend to spend my declining years making them (may the slope be long and the gradient gentle).
In a traditional woodshop, in a properly Lutheran country, you'll only find chairs in the office; for the master, the foreman and occasional customers. You stand by your bench and by the machines, always doing something. By the sweat of your brow etc. Or as the old boys would say: Lazy-boy is always on his way to the next chair (tsk-tsk). You would sit down for lunch and coffee breaks, obviously, and in the really old days many would have a little lie-down somewhere after eating.
I'll get to my point now (please don't get too excited): A few years ago, I used to hold introductiory courses in the woodshop at our local architect's school. I would gather the small group of students around a pair of standing-height work tables for initial pontificating before leading them around the shop to show them the machines and other features. There would only be a couple of tall stools for a group of 10 - 12, so the rest would have to stand on their feet the whole day. This, I quickly understood, was an unusual experience for them, and mildly distressing. There would often be a scramble to find something to sit on. Another behavior I noticed was the unconscious reluctance to let go of the smartphone. Some students would try to operate tools and machinery one-handed, or shift their phone between hands. "Maybe put the phone in your pocket?" would usually result in a giggle and a 'silly me!' -- one-handed and perpetually distracted.
I like reading your posts: perceptive and not too long :-)
This is an excellent anecdote, I can picture it immediately. There is a certain pride in standing which I've noticed in an older generation of men and which is now becoming appealing to me as well. You mention woodworking, an architect's school, phones... would you say that furniture makers are less aware or knowledgable about materials these days? I've heard this from other design teachers.
" ... would you say that furniture makers are less aware or knowledgable about materials these days?"
I'm not really in a position to answer that question; I lead a solitary life and don't meet many other woodworkers or see their work. Of course it's tempting to join the age-old chorus of grumpy, old gits lamenting the decline of standards ... because it's obviously true.
Wood is a wonderfully idiosyncratic material; each piece of lumber has its own characteristics, so you need some years experience before you can assess it shrewdly and use it to your advantage. Using hand tools (for parts of the work) greatly aids this understanding. One trend in woodworking these last few decades has been towards more use of MDF and CNC (out with the quaint, old terms, in with the acronyms): homogeneous, man-made sheet-goods cut to shape by computer-controlled router. This opens up many new possibilities, but holds no attraction for me.
Another trend goes the other way: There has been a great revival of interest in hand tool woodworking, 'green woodworking' and in later years even spoon-carving (the vegan bicyclists of the woodworking world) and other such 'crafting'/hobby activities. This should offer good opportunities for understanding wood, as well as being very insta-friendly and virtually virtuous.
If you dive into it (on YouTube for instance) you'll find that there are all sorts of woodworkers/hobbyists out there -- perhaps like never before? People will always make stuff out of wood; it grows on trees. I love it!
Thank you, a very useful insight! The romantic rediscovery of craft, against a backdrop of general dematerialisation, is a pattern I've noticed in many fields. I am thinking about writing a book on a related theme so these anecdotes are valuable to me. And now I know who to ask if I need carpentry advice!
One of my favorite kinds of analysis - chairs are so common that they are almost invisible, but they are a fascinating extension of (and concession to) our anatomy. I once bit off a bit more than I could handle with an early Substack piece about the ocean spanning designs of the butaque. In case it's of interest: https://open.substack.com/pub/faussettesq/p/hierophanic-object-the-butaque-chair?r=9ce7x&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Really enjoyed this, thanks!
I like this piece for its brevity, clarity and pertinence. Among an overwhelming deluge of words, it was a pleasure to read it!
Thanks Jacek, I’m trying a new, shorter approach to these articles, so it’s great to hear your thoughts.
Wessie, I think this is the best piece of yours I've read, at least as writing. The ubiquitous and physical, rethought and rephrased and charmingly set forth. Serious, but simple and light -- a souffle, a swan dive, a Matisse paper cut -- is so difficult. Bravo!
So glad you enjoyed it David. I’m experimenting with a shorter form for these essays, so this is valuable feedback!