Time keeps ticking away

"S-curve" an early more primitive piece shown at 2011Texas Furniture Makers Show

Time is ticking away. The year is already winding down. Is it just me? or is time moving faster? It seems as if there is not enough time in the day to get all of the many things that are required to function in this day and age, accomplished. Most of the things originally considered time savers have actually snuck their way into the time waster category.  Cell phones make us slaves to their tones and vibrations.  The internet that connects us to everything and everyone, tempts us with meaningless info, cute cat photos, bizarre happenings, and viral videos. Don't let me get started on social media.....

Lou is often overheard saying he does not have enough time left in this lifetime to complete the many projects he has bouncing around in his brain.  I have seen some of his sketches and I know he is right. Don't get me wrong,  I know he will definitely be leaving behind an artistic trail of mesquite furniture and objet all photographed, cataloged and assigned to their original buyers and locations.  I suspect this feeling is true of most artists and probably one of the very catalysts that drive them to produce that thing that they each do so well - their own individualized "art."

We are currently under a serious time crunch as Lou tries to finish up a new piece for the Texas Furniture Makers Show and a few commissioned pieces that are due to the clients in early November.  This has been an incredibly busy year for us and we feel so very blessed to have such great clients, both old and new.  Last year Lou did not even have time to attempt creating a new piece for the Texas Furniture Makers Show and we ended up putting in an earlier more primitive piece.  Lou Quallenberg's work has become much more sculptural and artistic. This years entry piece will clearly show how much his work has evolved.

 Texas Furniture Makers Show 

A Statewide Competition of the Finest Custom Furniture Makers in Texas

November 8 through December 8, 2012

Kerr Arts & Cultural Center
228 Earl Garrett Street

Kerrville, Texas 78028

Reception November 17, 5:30 - 8 pm

Gallery Hours:
Tuesday - Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm
Sunday, 1 - 4 pm

We recently had the opportunity to visit with our friends, Utah Artist Les Powers and his wonderful wife Tauni. They stopped by Llano on their way to a show in Austin to visit, see the shop and pick up some mesquite wood. Les makes such amazing sculptural pieces combining wood and stone that wrap, twist and weave around each other. Each one carefully named and thought out with a story full of meaning. His work can be viewed online at NaturesForms.net.  During our visit Les made the same comment Lou does about not having enough time to produce all the work floating around in his head.  I think Lou feels the way about Les's brain that I feel about his.  "In awe" is a probably a simple way to describe it.

Sharing ideas and info.

Les Powers, Lou Quallenberg & Simba

Les Signing a piece for the show

Tauni makes a beautiful background

Les even stacks his wood artistically

 
We met Les & Tauni at the Western Design Conference in 2008 the first year it was held in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We connected immediately and chose to meet up and hang out again at the Western Design Conference the following year, along with Tim Carney and his beautiful artist wife Maureen Shaughnessy - who by the way encouraged us to start this blog. Meeting and sharing with incredible artists is one of our favorite social pastimes. We met Tom Dean of Milo Creek Carvings at the 2009 WDC and continue to joke and tease with him to this day. We always enjoy connecting, sharing and feeding the inspiration and energy that occurs as artists gather, socialize and share.

This quote sums it all up: 

"Artists are some of the most driven, courageous people on the face of the earth. They deal with more day-to-day rejection in one year than most people do in a lifetime.... Every day, artists face the financial challenge of living a freelance lifestyle, the disrespect of people who think they should get real jobs, and their own fear that they’ll never work again. Every day, they have to ignore the possibility that the vision they have dedicated their lives to is a pipe dream. With every role, they stretch themselves, emotionally and physically, risking criticism and judgment. With every passing year, many of them watch as the other people their age achieve the predictable milestones of normal life - the car, the family, the house, the nest egg. Why? Because artists are willing to give their entire lives to a moment - to that line, that laugh, that gesture, or that interpretation that will stir the audience’s soul. Artists are beings who have tasted life’s nectar in that crystal moment when they poured out their creative spirit and touched another's heart. In that instant, they were as close to magic, God, and perfection as anyone could ever be. And in their own hearts, they know that to dedicate oneself to that moment is worth a thousand lifetimes.” - David Ackert

We would have never known about the show if we had not discovered the incredible work of Al Hone in a copy of the Sourcebook from the Western Design Conference. His work and the opportunity to meet him was one of the reasons we decided to do that final 2006 Western Design Conference in Cody, Wyoming. (That and the fact that Sam Maloof was one of the judges!)

Al and Mary Hone and their pup named Roxie are the authentic faces of Western art and design.   Al's award winning carved masterpieces and sculptures are so incredible in their detail and design.

Check out a few of his available pieces:

Spirit of the Tetons 46w x 26d x 30h

Executive Desk

Credenza: 93w x 98h x 22d   

Desk: 60w x 32d x 30h

Longhorn Cabinet 90h x 46w x 21d

Raven Magic Mirror 52w x 44h

For  more take a look at his website: AlHone.com.  Mary uses antique trade beads and creates beautiful beaded jewelry, leather work and accessories inspired by native Indian patterns and design. Together they are traveling the country in an RV, creating their art and living their dream.  I suspect that even living that lifestyle they still feel time leaking away here and there.  Who knows maybe quelling that feeling of time shrinking away is why they chose to pack up and hit the road in the first place.

Creating with mesquite in the Texas HEAT

So when you are in Texas the talk eventually turns to the weather. We were blessed this year with a bit of spring, enough that I was inspired to write this poem:

The mesquite in spring
robed in a fine feathery lime green
hung lightly on ink black barky branches.
Whispers softly in the wind
the announcement that
spring may now begin.

C.W.Quallenberg2009

Spring left us quickly somewhere back in May and the 90's have settled into the cracks and corners of the workshop. Also leaving us in May was an amazing yet quiet, humble soul: Sam Maloof the Father of Modern American Furniture Design and an inspiration to countless artists and craftsmen in all areas of design. While we did not really know of Mr. Maloof until we began our journey into furniture making, we quickly learned and had the rare opportunity to hear him Lecture and then Judge, Lou's work at the Western Design Conference in Cody, Wyoming 2006. We were told that Mr. Maloof was captivated by Lou's piece and that it was a close call for the award. Just knowing that he had touched and inspected Lou's work was the highest of honors. Sam Maloof will be missed but his work will live on to inspire many, many more.

The temperature in Llano now threatens to hit 100 degrees (Fahrenheit that is for all you Europeans) and we are only in June! Just can't bear to think what July and August will bring. So how does one, especially one of Yankee birth, deal with the heat from the hot Texas sun? Is it feasible to put in Air Conditioning? Should the new Shop hours be changed to 8pm-4am? If you have any suggestions please feel free to call us, email us or leave a comment below.

We do entertain plans for an air conditioning unit in the "next" shop and I know Lou is a night owl but not THAT much of one. Basically he just plays it one day at a time. While it goes against some old "biker code" he does wear shorts and he drinks lots and lots (of water that is.) Oh and threatens to move to some colder climate at least once a day, and when it is REALLY hot, on the hour. One thing for sure is the mesquite wood in the shop that is air drying is getting well dried. We know there is not one magic bullet to living and working in the Texas heat. You can bet that if we hit the lottery he will have a workshop that is completely climate controlled with a swimming pool just a diving board away. (Yes that would be a mesquite diving board! and of course we will still be making mesquite furniture, did ya really think we do this for the money?) But for now guess we will just have to sweat it out.

Added later that day:

Lou questioned the use of the word "threatens" on the part where I mentioned 100 degrees and well he was right. We have hit 100+ and seem to be doing some serious record breaking (possible 105?) in the High Temperature Category!! No relief in site. Alaska anyone?