Thursday, September 30, 2010

Show Time and a New Look

It is American Craft Week  this week October 1st-10th 2010. Support your local and American artists, artisans and craftsmen this week and every week, ALL year long. It is a part of what makes America great! Find more info online here: http://americancraftweek.com/
 
The Chapel Construction Site "Noah's Dream"
 The final push to complete The Dancing Trees portion of this large commission project is underway.  We made a quick visit to the Chapel site in Bandera and it seems they are in the same boat.  Push push push!

I am not sure where Lou gets his stamina but I am, as always, in awe. He has been working until eight or nine almost every night and he takes a partial day off only when I begin kicking and screaming. Hey it is hard to compete with those seven lovely mesquite ladies in all their wood grained glory! They consume him. Speaking of consuming our evening meal is usually at 9 or 9:30pm and probably why I am currently gaining weight. That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.

Barney 126lbs?!!
BTW Barney is currently tipping the scales at 126 lbs with three more months to go before he hits his first birthday.

It will be tight but we DO still hope and plan to show at the Texas Mesquite Association's Mesquite Art Festival in Fredericksburg, Texas on October 8th, 9th and 10th, 2010.

Our Niece Taylor Martin
Because of the Show we will have my niece's Sweet 16 Birthday Party on that Thursday instead of Friday (then she will have her Paintball Party on that Sunday with her friends.)

Happy Sweet Sixteen Taylor Leigh Martin!  We Love You!! She is so Sa-Weet! (A lil sassy too! )

At the Fredericksburg Mesquite Art Festival/Show we will get to catch up with our artist friends Craig Lagerstrom, Cappy White and Scott & Stephanie Shangraw and hopefully make some $ales. Pray for good weather! It was wet and cold last year. Wet and cold is just not good for the furniture and a major reason why we do not do outdoor shows. This will be our first time at Fredericksburg - we prefer the San Angelo Mesquite Festival/ Show because it is INSIDE at Fort Concho.

 Texas Furniture Makers Show: Steve Walker & Lou Quallenberg
Lou is also trying to finish up his piece for the 11th Annual Texas Furniture Makers Show in Kerrville, Texas. That piece, a beautiful sculpted mesquite coffee table, needs to deliver on October 18th for the Show opening day October 21st. The Texas Furniture Makers Show is held at the Kerr Arts and Cultural Center and goes from Oct 21st until December 4th, 2010.  The Eleventh Annual Texas Furniture Makers Show Awards Ceremony and Reception is on October 30th, where we will find out if this years piece is a Strazzanator.  Lou coined the term because Frank Strazza of Homestead Heritage has a way with furniture making using only hand tools. His pieces are exquisite and each year Lou shoots to create a piece that will stand up to Frank's work and perhaps one day take home the Best in Show award.
"The Dancing Trees" will leave the Lou Quallenberg Studios workshop in  Llano and take up residence in their beautiful new Chapel the end of October.  I know Lou will have a hard time parting with these beautiful ladies. He always feels the loss when his pieces go to their new homes.

A New Look......

Lou Quallenberg Studios "NEW" look to attract more artistic, sculptural work  (Photo from Dancing Trees)


































We are currently rolling out a new look, designed we hope, to attract more artistic, sculptural work from our clients.  We will have the new post cards at the shows and we have an ad that will hit the December Issue of Cowboys & Indians Magazine on newsstands the end of October.  Cowboys & Indians Magazine is the magazine that included Lou Quallenberg in the article Woodworkers who've carved out reputations as some of the country's best craftsmen.)  Also look for the new look on our website here: www.LouQart.com  Let us know what you think.