Saturday, June 19, 2010

The Garden

This past week I have spent with chairmaker Curtis Buchanan and his family. We worked on a bird cage arm chair in his back yard shop in Jonesborough, Tn. Curtis has an amazing family who is so giving of their time and energy making you feel like family. Making this chair is only part of the fun. I learned more about organic gardening as well as eating some of the best meals which mostly came from the garden. Curtis has an amazing balance in his life knowing when to work, when to garden, or spend time with friends and family. Even his soil has balance. I have to show his garden below. It takes up the whole back yard. There is no grass to cut.




Curtis' timber frame shop was my inspiration for my own shop after seeing it years ago. His shop keeps looking better with age. I took some pictures to show you how it looks but you have to be there to really get the feel of this one man chairmaking shop.




We had a great week getting lots of chair work done. We drove to the log yard and I picked up an awesome sugar maple for turnings. I can't get good maple in middle Tn like they have near the Appalachians. Curtis liked his table I made for his family. We broke it in right with his mothers incredible Italian cooking. You can see the table below. Notice some of Curtis' chairs around the table, very cool. Thanks again Curtis!




5 comments:

  1. Thanks for the good blog Greg , the chairs around the table , whats the one at the top left ? it dosent appear to have any stretchers , chat again , MiM .

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  2. That is one of Curtis' newer designs. The seat is 3 inches thick and deeply carved. The back is hickory bark. He wants to make a set to go with this table using walnut for the seat and the rest painted black. The chair is very cool and very comfortable.
    Greg

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  3. I can second Curtis and his family, really quality people. His shop and garden are incredible in a very relaxed and efficient sort of way. Looks like a nice table, any more pictures of it?
    Marty

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  4. Hey Marty, I'll post another picture of the table before it left my shop.
    Thanks,
    Greg

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  5. hello greg - I have also spent time with Curtis and I fully agree with your comments. New to your blog and will continue to follow along. many conversations with your friend Peter Galbert also. Keep up the value add information. Have a great day.

    Robert from Stow, Oh

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