Brian Reid

For many years now half the work I have been producing is speculative work, non-commissioned work. In these pieces, I tend to work through ideas, ideas that keep coming up through the years. Working through an idea usually starts with a simple project such as a wall hung cabinet, or a tissue box. If I think it’s a good idea then I might expand to a more complex expression. Lately this seems to be hall tables. If the idea really intrigues me then I think about it for awhile, maybe a year, and work towards a design of a major, even more complex piece, one that takes several hundred hours to complete.

“Bleached Ice” is a perfect example:

I was showing a student some books on Chinese furniture. We looked at several folding screens employing the seemingly random “cracked ice” pattern that is common in Chinese decorative motifs.

My interest, in the main, is decoration. I had been reading articles on symmetry and decided to see if there exists symmetry in the “cracked ice” pattern. There is. I made asmall sample marquetry panel exploring the pattern. I liked it. I next made a Hall table using the pattern for the top, all in black “Bog Oak”. I called it “Black Ice”.

“Bleached Ice”, a major piece for me, is a circular cabinet meant for jewelry. It has 5 compartments, 15 graduated drawers, and 6 shelves. It is made of bleached White Oak, and White Madrone.

Its inspiration is a 5-legged ceremonial circular Chinese table, and the exploration of the “cracked ice” pattern, which has, in some cases, symmetry based on the pentagon.

The circumference of the cabinet is wrapped in a non- repeating interpretation of the “cracked ice” pattern. The legs started out “cabriole” in shape and ended up looking like a Greek column.

Having made a major piece exploring “cracked ice”, I am now moving into resolving my “flower power” motif. It has just been explored as a blanket chest.

www.brianreidfurniture.com