Let's see......Where was I?

The Chestnut Creek School of the Arts held it's annual fund raising gala event the last weekend of March.  This year they did a stage show at the Rex Theater under the direction of Ginger Correll.  It highlighted local talent such as Wayne Henderson, the JAM Kids from the School of the Arts, Lois Fincher, and Mimi Pemberton.  I staged managed and had terrific helpers Davis Robertson and Bob from the wine shop.  We had a terrific turn out and the food at the party was great.  We all met at Macado's after the show for some late night food and drink.  It was a lot of fun and topped off a week of hard work and nervous anxiety.

I took a group of senior ladies over to Mercer Mall in Bluefield, Va for a shopping trip the latter part of April.  While I was there, I passed a closed store with a lot of display cases, shelves, metal racks and two "Berkenstock" shoe display stands, three sided and on a lazy susan so you can turn the display. They were for sale.  I thought "These are perfect for displaying my different chair weaving patterns when I do demonstrations and street shows."  I went to the manager's office and purchased them right away.  I went back the next day with my pick up and brought them back to my shop.  I've started work on a few display patterns to mount on the stands.  Here is a picture of what they look like.



I can't believe how

busy I've been since my last post.  Whew!  Let's see.  Where shall I begin?  Okay, first I'll show you some of the chairs I've done over the past 5 or 6 weeks.  These are two chairs that came from Greensboro, NC from Larry Chabot.  Here's the before.

And here is the after.

 He was pretty happy with his new seats, 7-step hand caned.

And then a week later he brought me three more.

Mary Lucy Fields brought me two pressed cane chairs and I did a foot stool for Marie Haga.

This is Marie's foot stool's before and....

And this is the after.



Then, I did some work on my exhibit at the Chestnut Creek School of the Arts located on Main St. in downtown Galax, VA.  I posted a picture a month or so ago of the initial wall hanging and have added a few more since then.  Here is an update of all the pieces currently hanging in the main gallery at the school.

Inverted Diamond - 2MM cane

Double Post Basket Weave - 4MM cane

Shaker Weave - 1" Shaker Tape in Forest Green / Cranberry

Herringbone Weave - 1/2" flat reed 2 X 2

Herringbone Weave - 1" Shaker Tape - Forrest Green / Cranberry

Multi-Diamond Weave / Basket Weave - 2MM cane

Multi-Diamond Weave - 1/2" flat reed - Mahogany / Natural

Pressed Cane Webbing - 6 Step Machine Processed Cane Webbing

Basket Weave - Sea Grass - 1/2" Braid

6 Step Hand Caned Weave on Round Rails - 2MM Cane

6 Step Hand Caned Weave on Round Rails - 4MM Cane

The wall pieces make great "works of art" when hung in a group.  Individually, they really catch your eye and make you want to touch and feel the texture. Their three dimensional shape makes them pop from the wall.

I also have a few chairs included with the exhibit.

Antique Child's Chair - Hand-crafted - Pegged - 7 Step Hand Caned Seat - Fine Fine Cane

1/2" Flat Reed Curved Back Antique Chair - 3 X 3

Single Diamond Weave Ladder Back Antique Chair - 2MM Cane

Single Diamond Weave Ladder Back Antique Chair = 1/2" Flat Reed and Ash

I also added 4 foot stools.  The stools are recycled from chair legs left over from the pieces hanging on the wall of my exhibit.

Fiber Rush Foot Stool - # 4 KB / #5 KB / # 7 KG Fiber Rush

Multi-Diamond Foot Stool - 1/2" Flat Reed - Mahoghany / Natural

Single Diamond Foot Stool - 1/2" Flat Reed - Mahoghany / Natural

Inverted Diamond Foot Stool - 2MM Cane

All of the pieces in my exhibit are for sale.  Contact the Chestnut Creek School of the Arts for pricing information. 276-236-3500  Remember, a portion of all sales goes to help the school to stay in operation.  Help support the arts in the tri-counties by signing up and taking one of many great classes the school has to offer year round or become a friend by making a monetary donation .  Become a volunteer and realize how much fun the arts can be and how it touches our lives every day. 

This makes a good segue into the last thing I did for the month of March.  I taught a 1/2" Flat Reed 3X3 class at the school.  I had a great student from Winston-Salem, NC / Riverside, VA, Mr. Jones Abernathy.

Oh and one last thing.        I'M IN THE APRIL ISSUE OF
                "VIRGINA LIVING MAGAZINE"
                                    PAGE  108
      CHECK  IT  OUT !      CHECK  IT  OUT !
                           CHECK  IT  OUT !

Here's a few projects since my last post.

!!!!!AWESOME NEWS !!!!!

This is my exhibit at the Chestnut Creek School of the Arts located on Main St., downtown, in Galax, VA
276-236-3500

Virginia Living Magazine came to the Chestnut Creek School of the Arts  today to include the school and some of it's arts instructors in it's feature on the Crooked Road.  I was chosen by the school to attend and demonstrate for a photo shoot by their photographer Stacey.  It was awesome!!  I've been working on the beginnings of a permanant display at the school recently.  Actually, I worked my fingers to the bone this past week to complete these eight of forty pieces and hung the last one just a the magazine people arrived.  I hope you like the beginnings of my exhibit and will leave a comment on your thoughts.  Oh, by the way, the feature in the magazine will be coming out in April 2012.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed I'll be in it.  X  X

Projects since my last post

Here are a few projects I've been working on since my last post.  Did you wonder where I've been?

Four fiber rush chairs for Mrs. DeBusk in Blacksburg, VA.

Two rocking chair seats, continental weave using 4MM binder cane for Ricky Byrd, Galax, VA

A pressed fibre board seat for Gaither McMillion, Galax, VA

So as you can see, I've been a little busy since my last post.  Check back in a few days and I will show you how to weave a center diamond pattern with 1/2" flat reed.  See you soon.



Knot it off and you're done !

Finally, wrap the end of the fiber rush cord under a few strands of previously wrapped cord and knot if off.  Cut off any excess cord.

YOU'RE DONE !

Now that you have finished, it's a good idea to apply a finish on the top and bottom of your project.  Clear or tinted polyurethane works well, as well as tongue oil, linseed oil, and shellac or lacquer.  I like to apply 4 to 6 coats to ensure a long life.  Here is a link to a really good slide show of the fiber rush weaving process - http://peerlessrattan.com/rush-seat-weaving.html.  I hope you enjoyed this project and will come back for my next.

Over and under from front to back....

Now that you have completed the side rails, let's finish off the front and back rails.  Continue to work over the front rail, up through the center and over the back rail and up through the center ( or vica versa depending on what direction your cord is going) until all the space is used on the front and back rails.  You may have to force the last round or two.  I use a wide flat head screw driver and a hammer to tap open enough space for the fiber rush cord to fit.