My Four Tables

These are photos of the tops of three of the four tables. Using double sided matt mylar I take rubbings off my wood block to create these patterns that each of the four elements. The ones in these photos above are fire, earth, and wind.

After I complete the rubbings on the mylar they are adhered to MDF. Using a circle I capture a portion of the pattern in the middle of the table and fill the area around it with a grid of 2x2 inch imperfect squares. Inside the squares I draw line around the pattern pieces using ink.

For the edge of the table I apply sheet music that wraps down around the cradle of the table and underneath to frame the underside of the table.

The underside of the table is drawn on by my daughter Emily. I gave her a set of drawing tools that fit my color pallet for the show and asked her to draw what came to her mind when she thought about wind, water, fire, and earth depending on which table top she was working on. She got to draw whatever she wanted to add her own special touch to the work. The idea refers to the domestic theme in my work based on the tendency for children to draw on the underside of furniture.

This is the almost completed stage of the table. I have sensed coated the legs in translucent gesso to push the wood grain back and make it match the wood tone on the table top.

This was a presentation idea of the table that includes the display of the letter blocks I created. I used a mirror on the underside to reflect my daughter's drawing underneath. The idea for the presentation of this table has changed. This table and the others that are still being built are to be hung from the ceiling from the narrow side facing each other from all directions. They would be hanging above a fifth larger table.

More pictures on this project to come when future stages of these tables are completed.