As I was designing furniture for the installation School House Long House in the exhibition Locally Made, I looked to how the beauty of Shaker craftsmanship matched the spirit of the space. Shaker furniture is widely admired for its simplicity, innovative joinery, and quality; it embraces functionality and artistry. This exhibit needed a space where artists, designers, performers, and other community innovators would share their ideas and processes, and I thought that integrating a style of furniture with historic traditions and practices would resonate well with the installation.
Combining various techniques of fabrication, I used both a computer-controlled cutter and a hand planer. My choices in tools and materials led to an interesting process that married tradition and innovation.
Related: Visit Simcha’s Thingiverse post to download the design.
Simcha Davis
Massachusetts College of Art and Design, BFA 2017