Delivery Day! Pew I mean Phew!

Well we delivered the mesquite benches/pews to the chapel in time for the upcoming wedding.  So now the "Dancing Trees" have an audience of eight that they can captivate all day long, as the light dances through the holes, ridges and ripples both natural and sculpted on the live edge mesquite slabs. Lou took the opportunity to give the "Dancing Trees" a good waxing and rub out - I think he just likes an excuse to spend time touching them.  

Wax on! Wax off! Dancing Trees by Lou Quallenberg

Thanks too the poor google map directions and a lack of communication, some on my part, but most on the lack of cell service in the area, our friends Laurie and Jim Branvik who live in Bandera and offered to lend a helping hand unloading and setting up the benches/pews, arrived as we finished assembling them in the Chapel.  They had not seen the "Dancing Trees" in their finished form so it was an opportunity to show them and reconnect, although very briefly. Jim is the Original Horseshoe Engraver and one of our favorite artist's to hang out with - of course we prefer it when Blondie is with him! 

The Chapel Benches/ Pews or shall we say seating?

Speaking of Jims' my cousin Jim gave us this little gem of a joke that I can't resist sharing:

Q: What happens if you fart in Church?

A: You have to sit in your own Pew!  (Wish they were all as beautiful as Lou's!)

The next part of the Chapel commission on the schedule is the Podium / Lectern. This will be another amazing sculpted beauty.  The mesquite slab is big and bulky and I often catch myself thinking of it as "Big Momma."  I can't wait to see what Lou Quallenberg does with this piece of mesquite. Check out the video of him having Shawn cut and shape it with the chainsaw:

We will be showing an older piece (s-curve mesquite coffee table), that does not really reflect his current work style, at the Texas Furniture Makers Show since the crazy busy schedule this year prevented Lou from creating a new outstanding potential award winning show piece - maybe next year!? He will have a few mirrors and framed photography hanging in the Derby Gallery. Who knows ? maybe the s-curve will find a new home while on display.

Marta's New Logo

As for new homes we are sad to say that Riverbend Fine Art our Gallery in Marble Falls is closing in November. We really did enjoy the gallery space, art and artists, and of course the amazing Marta Stafford.  But as one door closes another opens and in January 2012 Marta Stafford Fine Art will open it's doors and we cannot wait to see what she does in this great new venue. We hope to have her continued representation in the Highland Lakes Area and wish her much success!

Much of my November will be spent along side MeMaw (my mother) as she undergoes knee replacement surgery on the leg that she broke in 1967when she fell out of a deer blind! They will be removing the old hardware and replacing it with a new knee and more modern techniques.  Please keep her in your prayers.

It's all about CURVES baby

In case you had not noticed, Lou Quallenberg’s work is all based on curves. The natural curves found in the mesquite wood, the curves of the female body form that inspire him and the curves and angles found in the 1959 Cadillac Coupe De Ville that continues to influence his work. Jim Brandvik an artist friend, AKA “The Original Horseshoe Engraver” pointed out that Lou had used the line of beauty on his Mesquite Partners Desk.  Upon further inspection we found the “Line of Beauty” in almost every single curve on that desk. It was hiding in plain sight in Lou’s signature bow tie, where he uses it in both the length and width of that design. If you take the time to look you will find it there hidden in most of his pieces.  This line of beauty knowledge must have sunk into his unconscious mind because it took Jim’s artist eye to spot it and point it out before we even realized that Lou was using it.  He may have learned it many years ago in an art class or from a book on art.  The “Line of Beauty”  is also known as Hogarth’s curve  or a “lazy S” design.  The Hogarth curve is one of the more common designs taught in floral design, which in case you did not know is a part of my educational background. The Central Market/ (for HEB)  Floral Department being one of my favorite little creations.

I cannot let the February posting of this blog go without mention of my usual but unusual Valentine’s Day gifts from Lou (yeah it’s an enigma - just like him.) It is ALWAYS some type of heart and with his plunge into custom mesquite furniture making, my most recent hearts have been crafted from mesquite. Lou’s hearts are not the standard, symmetrical, valentine style heart’s that we all learned to draw in elementary school.  His hearts have curves (of course.)  It is always a surprise and I never know what to expect.  I have received small palm sized smooth hearts, a standing heart with copper flames, and this year the heart was copper embedded inside of a large mesquite hinged card, complete with it’s own thin mesquite envelope/sleeve!

We have recently joined in partnership with a new Gallery that is set to open in Llano, Texas the first few weeks in March.  The gallery “Circle on the square” is owned and operated by the very lovely and talented Robin Chiesa. We wish her tons of success!! The Gallery Logo and website (still under construction) were both conceptualized, developed and created by yours truly - Lou Quallenberg Studios! We still do logos, brochures and branding as well as commercial Photography. Lou’s Mesquite Furniture and Photography will be featured at the Gallery along with artwork by the following Hill Country artist’s: Russell Baros, Danielle Carmichael, Robin Chiesa, Jane Lynch, and Sheri Zoch.

A big THANK YOU goes out to everyone that watched the YouTube first video we created last month. As of this posting it has been watched 250 times (with 249 of those being me- just kidding!) Thank you for forwarding it to your friends, family and other folks you thought might have interest. Please do not hold it against us that Video #2 is not quite ready for viewing. What can I say? February is a short month and 2-3 days to a procrastinator is a huge amount of time. On top of that we are perfectionists and well hey it’s just not perfect yet!! We will post it when it is ready, even if  it’s not perfect. I know you can't wait but please bear with us and stay tuned!!