SHOWTIME for the "Susan" Mesquite Entry Table

"Susan" Mesquite Entry Table - Mesquite Furniture by Lou Quallenberg

As we have for the majority of the past 9 years, most of October was spent scrambling to finish Lou's entry in the Texas Furniture Makers Show ®. We knew it would be tight because of its close timing to the "Western Trappings on the Llano" Exhibition & Sale - Grand Opening and a much delayed yet somewhat unexpected trip to Philadelphia in September.  So same as last year, the call to former clients went out to see if we could "show" one of his former pieces, in the event that a new piece was not completed in time.  Last years piece "Drift" was delivered dripping oil and wax. The finish not up to the Lou Quallenberg standard (even though the piece WON the Best Texas Style Category) and was quickly stripped and refinished for photos, and ultimately it's new client. 

Mr. & Mrs. Donahue answered the call this year by consenting to the use of their "Susan" Mesquite Entry Table in the Texas Furniture Makers Show ® .  Last year they had Holiday parties and were enjoying the new mesquite furniture piece in their home for the Holidays. This year Susan's wedding (yes the table's namesake) and other plans meant they would not feel the loss of the "Susan" Mesquite Hallway Table in their entry way as severely.   

Lou Quallenberg's Website Home Page - www.LouQart.com

It was an interesting and happy coincidence or synchronicity that we had already chosen to create new business cards using the "Susan" Table's curvy photos.   In an effort to match the marketing we also changed out the website Home Page image (seen here).  We felt this image shows off Lou's distinct, curvy design style and leans more towards the sculptural work,  style and direction he is moving into.  

The New Folded Card for Lou Quallenberg Studios

Our choice of doing a folded card this year has presented it's own set of challenges. Once folded and stacked together the cards have a spring loaded effect and can surprise the unsuspecting card collector by flying in unison across the room.  For this reason we have taken to displaying them open with the inside facing out and letting the person gathering a card fold it themselves. They take up less space and avoid the flying across the room trick, which I am sure most folks would prefer not to happen anyways.

Mesquite Entry Table: The "Susan" - Mesquite Furniture by Lou Quallenberg

The "Susan" Mesquite Entry table was designed to go under a painting in the Donahue home.  I have to say I had seen the pictures recently because we put them on the cards and website but I honestly had forgotten how truly breathtaking the piece is in person.  It  measures a whopping 10.5 ft long by 2 ft wide by 3 ft high. It really makes a presence and begs for you to touch it. We hope that you get a chance to go by and see it in person in Kerrville at the Kerr Arts & Cultural Center while it is at the 14th Annual Texas Furniture Makers Show®. You can also check out his Mesquite Credenza that is available for sale, some other mesquite furniture as well as some incredible furniture pieces in other woods and materials by some very talented Artists and Makers.

The "Susan" Mesquite Entry Table by Lou Quallenberg

Laminated Mesquite Curves by Lou Quallenberg

Mesquite Hallway Table- The "Susan" by Lou Quallenberg

Remember that you can always see Lou Quallenberg's Mesquite Furniture online at  www.LouQart.com and we hope you will stop by and support both of these great shows where you can see, touch and feel Lou's mesquite furniture in person.

 

The 14th Annual Texas Furniture Makers Show ®

October 31 - November 30, 2013

A Statewide Competition of the Finest Custom Furniture Makers in Texas!
228 Earl Garrett Street
Kerrville, Texas 78028
 
 Kerr Arts & Cultural Center

Gallery Hours:
TUES - SAT 
10 AM-4 PM
SUN 
1 PM-4 PM

Don't forget to VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE Furniture Piece for the

PEOPLES' CHOICE AWARD sponsored by Woodcraft®!!!

&

WESTERN TRAPPINGS ON THE LLANO

70 ARTISTS from 3 COUNTRIES & 15 STATES
Western Trappings on The Llano Exhibition & Sale
Inside the Llano County Historical Museum 

HAVE YOU SEEN THEIR ARTWORKS?

http://www.westerntrappings.com/view_exhibit.html

The Museum is OPEN to the Public:

11 AM-5 PM
WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY

"Western Trappings on the Llano" Exhibition & Sale

MEET THE ARTISTS: "Western Trappings on the Llano"

"Drifting" along in December

We picked up Lou Quallenberg's "Drift" Mesquite Slab Coffee Table from The13th Annual Texas Furniture Makers Show this month and brought her to the shop to be stripped and then refinished. Lou's standards are very high and since the finish was rushed in order to get the piece to the show on time, he felt he needed to strip it and redo it.  Apparently the judges had no problem with the finish since they awarded "Drift" the "Best Texas Style" Award and the WOODCRAFT® Sponsor Award at the 13th Annual Texas Furniture Makers Show.  We also finally got "Drift" into the photography studio for a few beauty shots. But the very best news of all is that "Drift" was also delivered to her new home in the Hill Country this month! 

 

The name "Drift" came to us as Lou was working on the piece.  The sculpted part of this floating three part table almost looked like a piece of driftwood. One artist observer commented "mermaid" about the piece.  "Drift" is a new concept piece "including the sculpture or art into the actual coffee table." We have looked and not seen anything else like it online or otherwise. It is definitely the direction that Lou's work will move in as he continues to stretch and grow artistically. Much more sculptural and artistic but still functional. 

"Drift" Description:
This new concept piece for the artist represents an evolution in his distinct design style. The piece combines and incorporates his signature, sculpted, live-edge style with a more sculptural, art piece, edge slab. This Texas mesquite coffee table features the artist's signature floating top as well as a floating, sculptural, conversation piece, edge slab. The “float” is achieved atop seven stainless steel pins, welded to four steel bars that are screwed into routered grooves in the table top. The base was kept straight and simple to keep the focus on the sculptural top. A black epoxy is used to fill selected holes cracks and crevices. Lou attempts to draw the soul of the tree into each piece he creates. If you get a chance to look at and touch his work you will probably find it talking to you, maybe even singing. It is a goal Lou Quallenberg tries to reach in each of his pieces. 
Dimensions: 16” height x 32” width x 104” length 

concept sketch of the drift pavilion rendering © snarkitecture

Interestingly the name "Drift" was used by Snarkitecture  of  Brooklyn, New York for their really incredible pavilion entrance at this years Design Miami. Guess the name was "drifting" around and landing on the hearts and minds of artists here and there.  We are really glad because now Design Miami is on our radar and who knows perhaps our future?

We have been so wonderfully blessed this year with clients and collectors that REALLY get what Lou Quallenberg Studios is all about. A recent email from a client included this message:

Dear Lou,

.............You are one of these rare masters, who pay attention to all details and create timeless objects of beauty.

Here is a fragment of the poem that came to my mind as I unwrapped the blanket:

All are architects of Fate,
Working in these walls of Time;
Some with massive deeds and great,
Some with ornaments of rhyme.

Nothing useless is, or low;
Each thing in its place is best;
And what seems but idle show
Strengthens and supports the rest.

For the structure that we raise,
Time is with materials filled;
Our to-days and yesterdays
Are the blocks with which we build.

Truly shape and fashion these;
Leave no yawning gaps between;
Think not, because no man sees,
Such things will remain unseen.

In the elder days of Art,
Builders wrought with greatest care
Each minute and unseen part;
For the Gods see everywhere.

Let us do our work as well,
Both the unseen and the seen;
Make the house, where Gods may dwell,
Beautiful, entire, and clean.

Happy Holidays, Tad

Lou Quallenberg's Drift

WOW!!! We recognized bits of the poem "The Builders" from "The Seaside and the Fireside" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) but what an honor to have a client/collector say this about your work.  Obviously the love, passion and attention to detail, DO come across and speak to those willing to listen.

In the elder days of Art,
Builders wrought with greatest care
Each minute and unseen part;
For the Gods see everywhere.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

As December and 2012 drift to a close we THANK YOU for your support of this mesquite furniture making adventure. We wish you a beautiful and wonderful New Year, full of health, wealth, wisdom and most of all family and friends!

The 100 Club and Making Mesquite Furniture

New Ad Style. What do you think?

I always thought joining the 100 Club of anything was an honor or privilege. I'm still trying to see the honor, the privilege or anything positive about living through 75+ days of temperatures OVER 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I mean REALLY this is ridiculous!  Lou Quallenberg continues to make mesquite furniture through this scorching heat, in a shop without an airconditioner, day after day.  It is unrelenting with no relief in sight and a large project deadline creeping ever steadily closer and closer.

75+ days over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and no relief in sight!!

We won't go through another Texas summer without a swimming pool.  I'll even pay to have water shipped in to fill it if I have to.  We are currently bailing our bathwater to save a few of our trees. It is amazing how much water runs down the drain wasted so don't let me get started about flushing toilets....

This may end up being the first year that we do not have a mesquite furniture piece entered in the Texas Furniture Makers Show since we started showing there in 2005.  Lou won Best Art Furniture in 2005 and Best Texas Style Furniture for the past three years consecutively 2008,2009,& 2010. We are busy and that is a very good thing. We feel blessed. Besides it is just too hot to do ANYTHING. So the show pieces get put on the way back burner while the commissioned pieces get built and delivered at the slow moving, sweaty,  hot and tired pace.  

We will certainly attend the 12th Annual Texas Furniture Makers Show and are making plans to catch Thea Marx's seminar "How to Market Your Work without a Big Budget" & "Western Design: The Old, the New and Why It's Western."   We really like Thea Marx and ALL that she has done to promote Contemporary Western Design.  She is the reason we entered the British Airways Face of Opportunity Contest and while we did not get much of a chance to visit in London at the Face to Face Conference it was great knowing she was there working her western style magic on the United Kingdom, at Harrods and I know she charmed them in Paris as well.

Lou Quallenberg Clamping the Mesquite Bench Back Rest

I thought I would share a few photos of the current mesquite furniture project taking up most of the space in the shop these days.  Lou is working on the mesquite benches for the private chapel in Bandera.  They will sit curved, facing the alter and the Dancing Trees.

Solid Mesquite Slabs for the Bench Seats

They each have a slight curve on the seat and back rest. The back rest on each bench is composed of four slices of mesquite wood that are 9/32" thick. They are cut and then epoxied together and shaped into the curve. The same process is used on the base apron to match the curve of the seat. It is also used on four other smaller pieces that serve as braces for both accent and strength.

They are really taking shape and coming along.  Lou's God Son Travis will be visiting from New Jersey  for a good portion of September and we hope he will be able to lend a helping hand on this job.  Just hope working with mesquite in the Texas heat does not do him in.

Barney with Mesquite Bench (partially assembled & clamped together)