Whenever I complete a new piece, I always feel a mix of nostalgia and excitement. The nostalgia is ‘cause I’m saying “goodbye” to a piece that I feel tied to. The reasons vary: I might have gotten the wood in an impromptu dumpster diving excursion, dressed in evening attire after having come from a fundraising event. Or, perhaps, the wood is from an abandoned barn….and the entire barn was a gift from a friend who asked that I “make some beautiful new furniture from that old barn my family was going to tear down and throw away.” There’s a different story, and a different set of memories, with each piece. Hence, the nostalgia.

The excitement? That’s ‘cause I know the piece will land in “just the right place” for it. A bench might be placed at the foot of a bed, where a beloved pet lays claim to the perfect napping spot. Maybe a bistro table goes to the home of someone who loves flowers and displays a vase of fresh cuttings on the table each week. One of the coolest parts of what I do is hearing folks tell me how one of my pieces of furniture fits into their lives. Pretty exciting stuff.

This week, I finished two new pieces. One is a display table with metal base, and the other is a commissioned dining table.

The display table will be available starting tomorrow at my Local Girl Gallery exhibit (http://wp.me/p14FvN-7Q). My nostalgia factor on this one is pretty high….what is now a table top was once part of a tree trunk in my Tennessee backyard. About four years ago, one of those fast-moving Southern storms knocked some heavy-duty branches onto my roof and badly damaged a couple of gorgeous old trees. Sadly, the trees had to come down. But part of one stately old tree that I was so fond of is now a display table, waiting to make a statement in “just the right place.”

Untitled

The commissioned dining table? Delivered that this morning, and I’m excited knowing it will be used as a gathering place for the family and friends of its new owner. Folks will break bread over it, maybe spill some drinks on it, and otherwise enjoy their own mix of nostalgia and excitement around it. Many thanks to M. for the opportunity to pass along that mix of nostalgia and excitement. Enjoy.

Custom Dining Table

Whimsical Bench

Naturally, I tend to think that my furniture exhibit this Saturday will be pretty awesome . If I weren’t showing at Local Girl Gallery, though, the place I would be this weekend is in NYC at the ICFF, International Contemporary Furniture Fair (http://icff.com or @ICFF on Twitter).

In my post on April 11 (http://wp.me/p14FvN-77), I referred to the ICFF as “the best furniture show” and I’m still standing by that proclamation, especially after checking out some of this year’s participants. Had planned on being there, and was going to be sure to drop by and see the custom wine cellar exhibit. Billy Carpenter of Vancouver, BC, Canada does amazing work….makes you want to expand your six-bottle collection stashed under the kitchen sink into a full-on wine cellar. Hate that I’ll miss seeing his work in person. For those of you attending, check him out. You can find more info at http://vindegarde.ca or follow him on Twitter, @moderncellars. ICFFers, you guys enjoy the long weekend. ICFFF runs through next Tuesday, May 22.

As for me, I’ll see CLEers on Saturday, May 19, 4:00-7:00 p.m., at my “best furniture show” at Lakewood’s Local Girl Gallery, 16106 Detroit Avenue (http://localgirlgallery.com). Here’s to an awesome furniture-filled weekend in CLE and NYC!

Another sneak-peek photo of one of my pieces that will be on exhibit for Saturday’s one-day-only event at Local Girl Gallery:

Please join me at Local Girl Gallery, 16106 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood, OH (http://localgirlgallery.com) on Saturday, May 19, for a feature exhibit during the May Artwalk.

I’ll be showcasing pieces not currently on exhibit….a one-night-only exhibit of some of my favorite furnishings.

Special exhibit hours are 4:00-7:00 p.m. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Here’s a sneak peek at one of the pieces, “King in Mind,” that I’ll be bringing on May 19 to Local Girl Gallery.

King in Mind

One of the things I love most about Cleveland is the enthusiasm in this city for art. Whether you find yourself in Tremont, Lakewood, Little Italy, University Circle, Kamm’s Corners, Collinwood, and on, and on….you’ll find many terrific galleries. (Plus, Cleveland offers beautiful museums, public art displays….those are other posts for other days.)

You’ll also find tons of arts-related events in Cleveland. Many of those events are fundraisers for local nonprofits. I’ve had the pleasure of attending several of these art fundraisers, and I have been honored to have been asked by some to donate a piece of my artwork.

I’d like to give a shout-out to two art fundraisers, one that was held this past Friday and another that’s happening this Saturday, April 28.

Junk 2 Funk was a sold-out success! Benefitting the North Coast Health Ministry (http://www.nchealthministry.org), the annual art show featured works donated by artists who specialize in repurposed materials. Local Girl Gallery (http://localgirlgallery.com) hosted the event, complete with Chinese raffle, live auction, and appetizers/desserts/coffee donated by an impressive lineup of local businesses. And the art – very cool, indeed. Glad there was such a strong turnout for a local nonprofit that works to provide healthcare services to low-income individuals in western Cuyahoga and eastern Lorain counties. Kudos to Linda, owner of Local Girl Gallery, her team, North Coast Health Ministry and all of the volunteers for such a successful event.

This Saturday’s ArtCares benefits the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland (http://aidstaskforce.org). The annual event has quite the reputation as one of the best art fundraisers in town; donating artists represent a wide variety of styles and mediums. Looking forward to this one and love the venue: MOCA, the Museum of Modern Art Cleveland (http://mocacleveland.org).

The VIP preview begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by the party and silent auction at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets for ArtCares 2012 start at $50 and can be purchased online at http://aidstaskforce.org. Know they’re close to selling this one out, so check out their website or follow AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland on Twitter @AIDSTaskforceGC for ticket availability.

Wish I could lay claim to the “Junk 2 Funk” title, but it’s actually the name of an upcoming event which partners artists who work in repurposed materials with a local nonprofit.

Junk 2 Funk takes place Friday, April 20, 7:00-10:00 p.m., at Local Girl Gallery (http://localgirlgallery.com), 16106 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood. The focus of the three-hour event is, of course, art – specifically new creations from previously used materials – but there’s also wine, hors d’oeuvres and desserts from local restaurants and caterers. Add to that some organic, fairtrade coffee from Coffee for a Cause (http://coffee4acause.net), and you have the perfect complements to the live auction, Chinese raffles and all-things-art that make for an evening at Local Girl Gallery.

The annual fundraiser benefits North Coast Health Ministry (http://nchealthministry.org), which provides healthcare services to low-income individuals in western Cuyahoga and eastern Lorain counties. I know that previous Junk 2 Funk events have sold out, so grab your nicely-priced and for-a-great-cause tickets now. They’re $15 in advance or $20 at the door, if available on event day. Just visit http://nchealthministry.org for online ticket purchases or, if you prefer getting your tickets a more old-fashioned way, contact North Coast Health Ministry’s Elizabeth O’Brien at eobrien@nchealthministry.org or 216-228-7878, Ext. 114.

Fellow artists….you can still donate one of your pieces for the fundraiser. For more information, contact Ruthie Koenigsmark, president of stArt NEO, at rkoenigsmark@yahoo.com or 216-521-2894. StArt NEO (http://startneo.info) is another of Junk 2 Funk’s organizers, and I believe that the deadline for artist donations is April 16, but Ruthie is the expert on that.

Me, I’m all about taking junk and turning it into funk. And I’m definitely all about other artists, art lovers and local nonprofits coming together to benefit the community in Junk 2 Funk.

I’m so pleased to have been invited to exhibit in one of Cleveland’s coolest art galleries, Local Girl Gallery, which is in the heart of Lakewood. Owner Linda Goik features local artists, and she hosts some of Lakewood’s best art events, from exhibit receptions to art classes and book signings. I’m excited to be a part of Local Girl Gallery’s über-artsy vibe!

If you’re in Lakewood, be sure to drop in. (And, hell, if you’re not in Lakewood, it’s definitely worth the trip.) Here’s all the go-to info you’ll need:

Local Girl Gallery

16106 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood (just down the sidewalk from Sweet Designs, an absolute must if you like chocolate, http://www.sweetdesigns.com)

Hours:

Tuesday-Thursday, 12:00-5:00 p.m.

Friday & Saturday, 12:00-6:00 p.m.

http://www.localgirlgallery.com

(216) 228-1802

When you go, here are some of my pieces you’ll see…. Hope to run into you there.