Sapele pommele veneer with hand dove-tailed Swiss pear drawers. Sterling silver custom made hardware by jeweler Timothy Grannis. Organic French varnish finish.
1st Place Vermont Fine Furniture Design Competition 2011
I designed this piece for myself and have the luxury of writing at it. When we showed Alienor, it being my first show with Johns, I had no idea what to expect. The comments went like this:
—"It makes me think of an animal because the veneer looks like animal hide. It feels alive."
—"It's super sexy."
—"The legs are so feminine like a woman in stilettos. I can imagine a whole bedroom suite like this one. But it might be hard to sleep."
—"I feel like it could talk to me."
—"I want to caress it, can I touch it?"
I couldn't have asked for more. It meant the world to me. Design has to be one of the most complete out of the body experiences. An image in one's mind materializes from thin air into an entity by way of determination and skill. Beyond the joy I find working on the canvas or written page, furniture makes contact and serves my body. I've jumped outside myself to land back inside. I couldn't live without any of the three discplines I love.
I named the piece after Alienor, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Spirited 12th century wife of Henry II of England. The mother of Richard the Lionheart and John Lackland. Held in my esteem, Alienor was one of the world's first feminists. I'll dedicate a post to her one day.
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