Small Sculpted Tables

In this 5-day workshop, we will explore various forms and approaches to designing small sculpted wall-mounted tables. The wall affords a unique opportunity to question how furniture behaves in interior spaces, whether free standing or fixed to a wall. It poses various challenges for mounting solutions, overall form, and transitions, meanwhile providing an option to design with or without legs. Lectures and demonstrations will be focused on design examples of wall mounted and sculpted tables, joinery techniques to embrace sculpted joints and transitions, as well as technical solutions for wall-mounting organic forms.

Students will go through a few technical exercises learning different mounting techniques, exploring solutions both with and without hardware, meanwhile developing a concept for a simple sculpted table design of their own. Demonstrations on shaping and carving with assorted rasps will unlock atypical forms, textures and surfaces, so students are encouraged to bring along sources of inspiration from which to work as well as an open mind. Those new to these techniques can focus on the design, mounting and sculpting of a small console shelf, while those with more advanced skills can tackle more substantial or complex sculptural designs.

Students should plan to bring the following tools and/or materials

Materials

Unique lumber that may be particularly expressive, or afford inspiring characteristics. 8/4 thickness lumber and above is desired as we’ll be primarily working in a subtractive manner. Lumber will also be available for purchase from the school.

Recommended Student Tools

• PPE (safety glasses, hearing protection, dust mask/respirator, face shield, etc.)
• Sketchbook
• Blue painters tape
• Drawing implements (drafting pencils, as well as a 5.5mm lead holder pencil for sketching)
• French curves
• Layout tools, including a 12” combination square. Multiples can be very helpful.
• Small and medium levels
• Small hammer and punch or awl for accurate hole locating
• Set of chisels and mallet
• Various shaping tools (bring what you have, various recommendations listed below)
• Quality cabinetmakers rasps (Auriou, Dragon, Nicholson, or similar) in flat/half-round)
• Ferrier’s rasp
• Surform
• Shinto saw rasp

Optional

• Carving gouges
• Japanese saw
• Spokeshave
• Block plane
• Jack plane
• Any unique shaping/carving tools with which you’d like to explore!

Class fee: $985

Material fee: $75

Patrick Kana bio