Spring has sprung (according to the mesquite trees)

As Spring finally springs into place and relieves us from the cold dreary nuisance of winter (Yes! It is official our mesquite tree has finally budded out-so spring has sprung here in Llano, Texas!) we are reminded once again that as Lou's birthday (April 14th) rolls around, TAXES ARE DUE! Yep that's right folks if you own your own business you gotta pay taxes. Okay, okay we know you pay taxes when you work for someone else, but they usually deduct it from your pay check and you also probably have a much simpler form to fill out - I did say probably.  So that heap of paperwork and pile of receipts and invoices that has been taking up space on the dining room table is going away. Yipee!! I will be glad to have the space back so I can fill it up with something else.

BTW did you know that Al Capone listed "Furniture Dealer" as his occupation on his business cards? Well known for his corruption and criminal activity as a Chicago gangster during prohibition (one of the most notorious criminals of the 20th Century) he was finally put in prison by the IRS for Tax Evasion of all things! So the moral of the story is pay your taxes. 

We are proud to announce our new partnership with Riverbend Fine Art Gallery in Marble Falls, Texas.  Marta Stafford spent an afternoon at the shop learning about Lou and his process of mesquite furniture making and we were so very impressed with her enthusiasm, knowledge and genuine warmth. We feel like it is a good fit and look forward to working with her and Lori both. We posted photos of the delivery on our Facebook account so be sure to check it out if you haven't already.  The Mesquite Cody table is sitting in front of "Gentle Spring" a painting by Milbe Benge and it almost looks like it is the river flowing out of the painting.  If you come to visit us be sure to plan to take a trip to Riverbend Fine Art Gallery as well. The drive is spectacular and currently splashed with bluebonnets and wildflowers. We feel so fortunate to live in the Texas Hill Country!

We were so honored to receive an official invitation to exhibit at Cody High Style this year.  We have heard such great things about this new show in Cody,Wyoming and have had success first in Cody, Wyoming and then in Jackson Hole, Wyoming at the Western Design Conference in year's past. The photos above are from the 2006, 2008 and 2009 Western Design Conferences and show entry pieces. This year due to family obligations and a focus on our current client base we will not be going up that way. We do hope that the folks at  Cody High Style will consider us again in the future.  It has been such a wonderful escape each year to head for the mountains and cooler weather, we also really enjoy meeting and visiting with all the extraordinary artists that gather at these shows.  The problem is it is a long haul (1,400 miles) from Texas to Wyoming and the time spent away from the shop can really start to add up. We are a one horse operation here which unfortunately makes it very difficult to take time away.  When Lou's birthday rolls around, he begins to realize that he will not have enough time in this life to make all the wild and crazy things he has stored up in his head.  Maybe it would help if Allison at the Western Design Conference and the Gang at Cody High Style would consider changing their application deadlines to March or May?

IF YOU WERE LOOKING FOR THE NEXT VIDEO IT IS COMING SOON.  I PROMISE WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN OR GIVEN UP. 

The FULL Cowboys & Indians Magazine Interview

We are preparing to leave this Texas Heat for Jackson Hole and the Western Design Conference in the next 10 days to show Lou's mesquite furniture. We are also anxiously awaiting the publication of the next issue of Cowboys & Indians Magazine. We have been told it will have Nolan Ryan on the cover. We have also been told it will feature 10-12 Woodworkers/Furniture Makers. We were quite surprised when they called us and asked for an interview. Why us? We thought to ourselves. Lou can still barely believe it and probably won't until he actually sees it in print. We are honored and blessed to be listed alongside many of these folks that we respect, admire and are considered some of the Best in the West in a Magazine that we consider the Gold Standard in Western Design. All of the Folks at Cowboys & Indians Magazine that we spoke with are Courteous, Professional and above all KIND. We thought you might like to read the interview questions and Lou's answers in their entirety. We have no idea what info made the cut or even how visible the article will be so for those interested here is the Full Interview Q&A from Cowboys and Indians Magazine:

C&I* One of your signature design elements is the deep curves you put into your furniture. What was your inspiration for the look?
The female form first and foremost, I just love the curves of a woman. My wife considers each new piece my girlfriend of the moment and says she feels crazy for being jealous of a table. While most mesquite furniture makers look for good straight, solid pieces of wood we seek out the mesquite wood with the unusual curves and character. The tree's spirit eventually dictates how the wood will be used and its natural curves are carefully matched to create the curved base.

C&I* How long on average does it take you to do an average piece?
Some pieces go from tree to table and therefore require very extended lead time, fortunately we have patrons that are willing to wait. We even have one client that got impatient with their home builder so they built another home but waited several months for their pieces because they did not want to rush the art. Once we have the mesquite dried and ready to go and the design approved by the client, it typically takes 10-12 weeks. Of course that also really depends on how full the schedule is at the time.

C&I* What are some of your most popular pieces?
Entry tables and over sized coffee tables seem to be the most popular.
Our clients tend to build a room around their over sized coffee table pieces. If they have been involved in the tree to table process they have photos throughout the process and the table becomes a conversation piece as well. They feel especially connected to their piece because they were involved every step of the way. They are like proud parents, you just can't get that feeling with a piece of massed produced furniture you pick out of a store or catalog.

C&I* How has photography influenced your art as a furniture maker?
Both photography and furniture making are very visual arts. My background in photography helps me visualize the piece in advance. Before I start I can pretty much see what that piece will look like upon completion. I used to build elaborate sets for my commercial photography clients so that made it one step easier to transition to furniture building. I've been constructing and building all my life but now I am making the pieces that I want to make in my own design style and that is really the best form of satisfaction. Lou Quallenberg

8/29/09 WOW!! We Just saw the article and all we can say is we are so blessed, honored and blown away.
Read the article online: HERE

Thank You Cowboys & Indians and especially Rebecca Sherman.

Gold Stars, Awards and Recognition

As we prepare for upcoming shows: The Western Design Conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and the Texas Furniture Makers Show in Kerrville, Texas we question why is it that we do them? It REALLY is NOT for the Awards or Prizes but more for a chance to push Lou's artistic vision and ability. The Gold Stars, Awards and recognition are always nice (probably necessary in Elementary School) and perhaps validate what the artist is creating but in the end that is not what Lou is working for.

He does this work in Mesquite furniture to satisfy something inside of himself and also to bring out something from the mesquite tree's spirit that is speaking to him. When we started this furniture making journey we had many head scratching, naysayers who did not quite understand what he was doing and why he invested so much time creating the curves that have become a part of his signature style. Lot's of folks just did not "get it". Lou Quallenberg's work is not traditional nor is it really contemporary. We honestly don't know what to call it. He is not repeating designs from the past or copying another style. His work truly is his own. His own Design. His own Style.

Someone recently found a piece online that was an "ill" attempt to copy his look. Lou repeated Charles Caleb Colton's words "Imitation is the sincerest of flattery." Lou also said:

"they can copy only the works I have already produced they can't copy the designs I hold in my head and have yet to produce." Lou Quallenberg

He is right but it still ruffles my feathers a bit. I guess because I feel like they are trying to take something away from him. But they can't.

Another reason we attend these shows is the opportunity to meet such amazing and talented Artists. At the Texas Furniture Makers Show we always look forward to seeing the work of Frank Strazza. (Our inside joke is that Lou has to come up with a Strazzanator) Frank's work is so amazing and he uses only hand tools!! Barry Bradley and Rex White are always coming up with something unique for the Texas Furniture Makers Show, we see them more often because we all have work at the Artisans at Rocky Hill Gallery in Fredericksburg, Texas.

The Western Design Conference is the one that really inspires because it brings together western influenced artists from Jewelry, Fashion, Metal, Wood, Leather, and Home Accents. It is a room full of 100 or so Artist's bringing their best. It is pure inspiration from the moment you walk into the gallery setting show. If you consider the amazing talent and hours of hard work that come together under one roof for those few days it will blow your mind. We always hope that while we are there in the midst of that creativity some of that talent and inspiration will somehow sneak it's way into our souls and make us better at what we do.

Bluebonnets, Birthdays, Balance, a Bench & Bugs

That sure is a mouthful of B's.....
The month of April is always a favorite for this double aries household. YES!! that's right two rams in the house and usually butting heads until someone gives up and decides to be the lamb. The first two weeks are birthday weeks for us and it's also that time of year when, thanks to Lady Bird Johnson, the blue begins to fringe the sides of the highways all across this great state. While this year was not expected to show as well as years past because of a lack of rain, and both early and late roadside mowing to prevent fires, it has been pleasant surprise. Some years we observe seas of blue that actually seem like lakes or ponds floating in green pastures. The blue is just the beginning of the spectacular Texas wildflower show that continues on through the summer in layers of gold and a multitude of rainbow colors. We are so blessed to live in the Texas Hill Country in Llano, Texas.

As Lou and I get older it seems our birthdays are times spent in reflection and a point in time, at which a measure can be taken. Did we reach the goals we had hoped to reach? As the time slips by we question, "Are we doing what we were meant to do?" Lou's work in Mesquite is tangible and he will leave behind a legacy of physical objects. I think that is a part of the satisfaction he finds creating this mesquite furniture. When he was building choppers with his friends in the 70's he was doing the same sort of thing - bringing something beautiful, physically into the world. Photography is not the same as producing something that can be touched, tasted, smelled or held. Photography is more about capturing time, on film in the early days and now digitally. While he still enjoys photography his heart and soul go into his mesquite pieces. He has said many times that he will not have enough time to create all the pieces he has in his head. A look into the pages of his sketch books will prove that.

So how do you find balance when you know you will not have time to get it all done before you call it quits on this earth? That my friends is the question we are currently trying to solve and may not ever really find an answer. Lou and I try to live in the moment but often find ourselves looking back at the past or forward to the future. Lou enjoys taking the break, once he finally breaks free, but it is the making a break that is so hard for him. Maybe it is because he is already living in the moment while he works on his pieces. It usually takes an ultimatum or angry outburst from me, to make him take a break and I really do hate to be that person. I often find myself jealous of a piece of mesquite furniture and have to laugh. They are his girlfriends, his babies, his creations and sometimes he has a hard time sending them to their new homes.

April brought the end to a commissioned bench project bound for Jackson Hole Wyoming allowing us to renew a relationship with Fredericksburg Shipping. If you live in the Texas Hill Country and are ever in need of top notch packing and shipping check them out. Thad and his staff are friendly, efficient and thorough. They ship everything from antiques and art to zebra taxidermy mounts and everything in between. He has also dealt with several of the large galleries in Jackson Hole. Speaking of Jackson Hole we are planning to head out to the Western Design Conference again this year. Just not totally sure of what Lou will be creating to show. Guess I need to get that whip out and crack it.

My final B is a reminder that mesquite wood is home and harbor to a few different wood boring bugs. We keep hearing horror stories of people that have brought home mesquite products and discovered bits of sawdust on and around the pieces and so they douse it in insecticide often ruining the look of the frame, furniture or sculpture. Not a good solution if it is a cooking utensil or cutting board. We have even heard of a couple in Austin that had to fumigate the whole house because the new mesquite flooring they had installed had bugs. What a nightmare! So what should you do? Does this mean you should avoid mesquite wood products? Not at all.

First know who it is that you are buying from. There are many reputable folks that use mesquite. Check to see if they are members of the Texas Mesquite Association. This is a great group of artists and craftsmen that share info, ideas and the love for mesquite. Their spring show the Spring Texas Mesquite Art Festival was held April 17-19th in San Angelo, Texas. If you missed it you can catch the Fall Texas Mesquite Art Festival in Fredericksburg, Texas October 9-11th.

Second know that some of these bugs (powder post beetles) prefer the yellow sapwood layer of the wood. Be sure that your piece contains very little or preferably none of the yellow wood. We know of a woodworker that won't allow any of the yellow wood to come onto his property let alone his workshop. While we are not that extreme we are very careful and take serious precautions when drying and choosing wood for a particular piece.

Nobody likes to deal with bugs but if you should find that your new mesquite object has an insect that is making holes and sawdust you have a few options to treat it. Environmentally safe options include drastically lowering the humidity on the piece, and if small enough microwaving, heating to 140 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven or freezing for several hours. You can also try injecting alcohol into the holes to see if that works, before breaking out the chemicals and insecticide. We really hope you won't ever need to use this information but if you do need it we hope it is helpful.