Making Mesquite Furniture: Texas Style

We are so very honored that Lou Quallenberg once again won the Best Texas Style category at the 14th Annual Texas Furniture Makers Show. This is the fifth time that he has won the award with his unique style of mesquite furniture. We find it kind of humorous that a guy from New Jersey keeps winning the Best Texas Style Furniture category! 

I think his love for the wood (mesquite) and the work has become physically obvious and that is what people see when they look at and touch his pieces. Lou's Contemporary "Calf Leg" Credenza also received an Honorable Mention from the judges. They probably ALL frowned on the use of metal drawer slides but we still have not found a better method to achieve full extension of the drawer for our client's regular use.

"Susan" Mesquite Entry Table Wins Best Texas Style at 2013 Texas Furniture Makers Show

 

 

Contemporary "Calf Leg" Credenza receives an Honorable Mention

This year we had resigned to the fact that the younger artists (some that we have been really encouraging) were finally finding their art and coming into their own.  We were pretty sure when we delivered Lou's pieces to the show that the piece created by 22 year old Timothy Anz, an apprentice to Frank Strazza, would take the Best in Show. It was so perfect in it's execution and the design was not typical traditional. It did win Best of Show at the 14th Annual Texas Furniture Makers Show and it deserved it! Such a beautiful piece.

Best of Show "Safari" display cabinet (L-R) Asa Christiana, Omar Angel Perez, Timothy Anz (Maker), & Jeff Miller.

Lou Quallenberg's Contemporary "Calf Leg" Credenza received an Honorable Mention

Best Texas Style - The "Susan" Mesquite Entry Table by Lou Quallenberg

Brandon Berdoll with the Award winning "Brazos Beauty"

We also felt the piece by Brandon Berdoll and Company, "The Brazos Beauty" would probably take the Best Texas Style Category. So we were seriously surprised when they called Lou's name for the award. "The Brazos Beauty" Pecan dining table ended up taking 3rd place overall and the Woodcraft People's Choice Award!  

 

Lee Westphal's piece "The Edge" Table was another contender that we thought might have a chance at Best Texas Style Furniture this year but he entered it in the Contemporary category.

                                 

Texas Furniture Makers Show Judge and Fine Wood Working Editor Asa Christiana posted this blog about the Show and we were pleasantly surprised to find that he listed Lou's "Susan" Mesquite Entry Table as one of his personal favorites. 

Read the full blog post here:

http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/109128/inspiring-furniture-from-annual-texas-competition         

Artists L-R: Jeffrey Cox, Lou Quallenberg, Jeremy Grubb

One of our favorite nights of the year is the Texas Furniture Makers Show Awards Reception, as it gives us a chance to catch up with the artists that we have not seen all year long.  We really enjoy the camaraderie and the sharing, the exchange of ideas and products, tools and finishes. It always amazes us at the amount of talent in the room when artists get together for a show. Such a great energy and creative flow. We do also get to visit a  little bit on delivery day before the show and pick up day after it ends. 

Sadly tomorrow is pick up day and we will say goodbye to the Fourteenth Annual Texas Furniture Makers Show until next year.                 

Delivering to and picking up from the show always a chance to visit with the other makers.