Artistic Roots

Woodworking Classes for March & April, 2012

2012-01-22T12:42:00.000-08:00

We have expanded our woodworking classes for March and April, 2012

Mention Artistic Roots when you book your class and a portion of your tuition will be donated to the Artistic Roots Education Outreach fund.

Woodworking Class Schedule

Eric Johnson’s Furniture

Campton, NH

(603)726-4980

www.ericjohnsonsfurniture.com

Build an 18” Cherry Side Table -- 3 Weekend Class

All the materials and instruction needed to build an heirloom quality cherry side table. This class will cover:

* Dimensioning Wood

* Mortise & tenon joinery

* Leg tapering

* Finishing techniques & more

Maximum 3 students $325

Dates & Times:

March 17, 18, 24, 25, 31 & Apr. 1 Saturdays 9-2, Sundays 1-4

Hand-Cut Dovetails – 1 Weekend Class

Maximum 4 students $160

Dates & Times: Sat. Feb. April 14 & 15. Sat. 9:00 - 3:00 Sun. Noon to finish

Build a furniture quality Picture Frame—1 Day Class

* Learn mitering and spline joinery is this one-day class.

Max. 4 Students $50

Saturday, April 22: 9:00 to finish Lunch provided or bring your own

Call or email to reserve your spot or to be added to notification list for future classes:

(603)726-4980 Email: ejfurniture@roadrunner.com

New window display

2012-01-05T12:23:00.000-08:00

The photo just doesn't do the new window display justice. Come see it for yourself and visit our gallery at 73 Main St., On the Common, in Plymouth.

Jennifer Mattrick and Jeannette McArthur dressed the North window today and did a really nice job. You can't tell but it's their first time. Jennifer is a fiber artist who makes felted scarves, cowls, hats and other knitted items. Jeannette is a painter who works mostly with oils.

Thank you Jen and Jeannette!

We are gearing up for our next rotation when artists switch locations, bring in new work and give the gallery a whole new look. We will be closed Monday, January 23rd for the rotation.

Teamwork

2012-01-03T18:27:00.000-08:00

Today, Joyce Bouley and Cheryl Johnson joined forces and talents to produce these lovely bowls. Joyce is the potter and Cheryl the painter.

Once the bowls are glazed and fired, they'll be ready for you at the Artistic Roots gallery.

Preview of Souper Bowls

2012-01-01T17:24:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Thought I'd share production photos and finished bowls as our artists bring them into the gallery.

Mary Ober shared a glimpse of her production process. I can hardly wait to see how they turn out.

Sue Tucker brought in two kinds of bowls. Gorgeous!

January 9 is when tickets, bowls and mugs go on sale at the gallery. See you there

Monique MacIntosh
Executive Director

Looking forward to 2012

2011-12-30T15:31:00.000-08:00

2011 saw our Coop make a bold but practical move from our basement location to a street level address. We are still on Main Street but now we sport two huge display windows, a much bigger gallery space and the work of several new artists.

I'd like to thank everyone who supported our Coop, in one way or another. We have weathered that transition and are ready with some new challenges for the new year.

Over the next few days, I will share our plans and activities for the coming year. For our members, 2012 will be the year for veterans. "Art for Veterans" is what we call our program. It is about sharing the creative experience with them. Towards this end, we are holding our main fundraising event in February so we can offer art classes for free to all veterans.

8th Annual Souper Bowl

Soup Competition and Art for Veterans Fundraiser

Mark this date in your calendars!
On Saturday, February 4, 2012, we are holding our most important annual fundraiser from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Congregational Church in Plymouth.

Tickets are $25 per person for a handmade bowl or mug by one of our artists, and eat-all-you-can soup, bread, beverage and dessert.

Participating restaurants each provide a soup and diners select their favorites. There will also be a raffle and silent auction.

Bring your own bowl and you can dine for $20. Children under six eat for free but won't get a handmade item.

Tickets go on sale starting January 9, 2012. Come into the gallery to pick out your bowl or mug at 73 Main St. in Plymouth. For more information, see our website, or call the gallery 536-2750.

Monique MacIntosh
Executive Director

Holderness Library 2011 - 2012

2011-12-02T05:22:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

We have partnered with Victoria A. Lang to bring our brand of art to Holderness Library. Victoria is the Director, and has led the successful efforts to restore the building while creating a warm and inviting community space. Our group display will continue until the Spring of 2012, and will evolve to stay fresh and interesting for library patrons.

Please come visit Artistic Roots at Holderness Library and thank you for supporting local artists and local community spaces, especially libraries.

Monique MacIntosh
Executive Director

Trash to Treasure at the D Acres Educational Homestead

2011-11-26T06:40:00.000-08:00

D Acres of New Hampshire is a non-profit organic farm and educational homestead

located in the foothills of the White Mountains.

To learn more, visit www.dacres.org

Woodworking Class Schedule--Winter 2012--Eric Johnson's Furniture

2011-11-22T06:58:00.000-08:00

Our new woodworking class schedule through March is now available. Call or email with any questions or to reserve your space. The Colonel Spencer Innoffers discounts for anyone needing overnight accommodations while attending a class. These classes could be a great Christmas gift as well!

Woodworking Classes

Build an 18” Cherry Side Table -- 3 Weekend Class -- 2 Sessions Available

All the materials and instruction needed to build an heirloom quality cherry side table. This class will cover:
* Dimensioning Wood
* Mortise & tenon joinery
* Leg tapering
* Finishing techniques & more
Cost: $325 materials included      Maximum 3 students
Dates & Times: Two class sessions to choose from:
Jan. 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29. Saturdays 9-2, Sundays 1-4.
                                           Or
March 17, 18, 24, 25, 31 & Apr. 1          Sat. 9-2, Sun. 1-4.

Hand-Cut Dovetails – 1 Weekend Class

You will receive dimensioned wood to build a cherry box with a lid. We will focus the lesson on the skills and steps to hand-cut dovetailing. Materials & Hardware included. Bring your own tools or use those provided.

Cost $160 Materials included Maximum 4 students
Dates & Times: Sat. Feb. 11 9:00 to 3:00, Sun. Feb. 12 Noon to finish.

Build a furniture quality Picture Frame—1 Day Class

* Learn mitering and spline joinery is this one-day class.
Cost: $50 Max. 4 Students Lunch provided or bring your own
Saturday, February 25: 9:00 to finish

Call or email to reserve your spot or to be added to notification list for future classes
Eric & Debbie Johnson
Eric Johnson's Furniture
http://www.ericjohnsonsfurniture.com/
(603)726-4980
Email: info@ericjohnsonsfurniture.com

What's new at Artistic Roots?

2011-11-17T09:38:00.000-08:00

Work by Barbara McAlister

New Members: Dick Batchelder, owner of Harmony in Wood from Bristol, and Barbara McAlister, owner of The McAlister Collection in Canaan, were voted into the gallery this month. Dick, who does spectacular woodturning, was a member of Village Artists of Ashland for many years, and served two terms as that group's president. Barbara, widely known for her whimsical hand-painted wood carvings, was a member of the Cardigan Mt. Co-Op in Canaan and sells her work at several locations, including the Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, VT. Dick and Barbara are both also juried members of the highly-respected League of New Hampshire Craftsmen.

New Look: Four times each year, the gallery, is given a brand new look. Last month, all forty-five juried local artisans moved to different locations and brought in exciting new work. Thousands of original, locally-crafted works of art in dozens of media including woodworking, fiber arts, metal smithing, painting, drawing, photography, mosaics, paper, glass, jewelry, pottery, prints, carvings, sculpture, decorative painting, and more. Members, who each work one day a month in the gallery, often demonstrate their mediums in the AR class room that is handicap accessible. The two large display windows in front of the gallery have also just been redone.

Work by Dick Batchelder

New Classes: The winter class schedule includes sessions for people of all ages, levels and abilities. Classes are being offered in oil painting with Cam Sinclair, watercolor painting with Cheryl Johnson, multi-plate printing with Alma Grand, and portrait drawing with Carol Phenix. Patti Burlingame will present jewelry making and felted scarf classes, while Lynn Haust will offer two workshops in kiln-fired glass. More classes are being added to the schedule all the time. Check the AR website www.artisticroots.com for current offerings. In addition to classes, AR also offers Art Parties that are fun sessions in various mediums available for birthdays, friends' nights out, family gatherings, corporate functions, and more.

New Director: Monique MacIntosh of Campton has been selected to replace Cheryl Johnson as Executive Director of Artistic Roots. Monique, who joined the group in August specializes in recycled paper bead jewelry. She has a professional background in communication and administration, and recent education in global sustainability. She hopes to use that knowledge to help the co-op achieve its mission and become successful, green and a positive force in the community.

Want to know more? Click on www.artisticroots.com, call us at (603) 536-2750 or stop by the gallery!

Eric Johnson--Now a member of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen

2011-11-15T08:42:00.000-08:00

We are so pleased to announce that Eric has recently successfully juried into the respected League of New Hampshire Craftsmen. This long standing group has established a reputation for excellence among its members, so it is with great pleasure that we have achieved this association.

If you aren't familiar with The League of New Hampshire Craftsmen or its members, you might enjoy reading more about it here.

Also, our first class session has begun. Two enthusiastic students are building a classic cherry side table that will be ready well before Christmas. We are working on the class schedule for the New Year and have created an email list just for those specifically interested in woodworking classes, so if this interests you or someone you know, please email or call so that we can inform you of the classes to be offered.

Finally, we would like to thank everyone that joined us for our Open House the first weekend of November. The lovely company and beautiful weather combined to make a great event! We appreciate each one that took their time to come, visit, explore the world of heirloom quality furniture, and meet us & our guest artists, Cheryl & Joyce!

Without our customers there would be one less small business in America!

Until next time,

Eric & Debbie Johnson
http://www.ericjohnsonsfurniture.com/
Email: info@ericjohnsonsfurniture.com
(603)726-4980
Campton, NH

Business After Hours, November 16th

2011-11-14T13:31:00.000-08:00

Join us this Wednesday, November 16th as we host Plymouth Regional Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours.

Mix and mingle with many of our artists while touring our spacious shop and classroom. The perfect chance to start your Holiday Shopping!

5:00 - 7:00pm

Wednesday, November 16th.

Find out more about Business after Hours and other Chamber Events @ http://www.plymouthnh.org/inner.php/Chamber+Events/Business+After+Hours/

Fresh from the Kiln...

2011-11-06T14:06:00.000-08:00

Milk Bottles are back in stock at Artistic Roots

Come in to pick out your favorite or order @

http://www.etsy.com/shop/maryober

and skip the shipping when you pick it up at Artistic Roots.

Robbin Adams at Red Gate Farm

2011-11-02T16:18:00.000-07:00

Robbin Adams, Printmaker, member of Artistic Roots in Plymouth, NH is featured in this upcoming Printmakers show at the Red Gate Gallery in Plymouth, NH:

Opening Reception

Friday Evening, November 4th

5-8 pm

A portion of all Sales

Will Go to Support

Pemi-Baker Literacy

See you There!

Woodworking Classes--Eric Johnson's Furniture

2011-10-31T13:03:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce that if you are in the Central New Hampshire area on weekends and are interested in learning woodworking, that I am now offering classes.

In this first class session we will be constructing an 18" cherry side table. We will cover tool usage, wood movement, mortise and tenon joinery, tapering legs and finishing techniques. When the class is over, you will be able to take your table home--just in time to enjoy for the holidays--or even give as a gift.

This class will cover three weekends beginning Saturday, November 12.

Cost of the class is $325, including materials.

Call or email for more information, exact dates & times, & specific questions. I am limiting the class size to 3, once it is full, I will be happy to put you on a waiting list and let you know about future classes.

Until next time,

Eric
Email: info@ericjohnsonsfurniture.com
http://www.ericjohnsonsfurniture.com/
(603)726-4980

Adjustable Shelf Supports--Eric Johnson's Furniture

2011-10-21T07:06:00.000-07:00

Hello again,

Here is the blog that I have been meaning to write the past couple of weeks--the exciting world of adjustable shelf supports!

You all have seen them. Simple little metal clips that have a round post on one end and a flat surface on the other. You push the round post into a hole in each corner of the case and viola', adjustable shelf support.

When I started getting serious about building reproduction furniture, I quickly realized that this wasn’t acceptable. I looked for other ideas--preferably antique ideas. I found a bookcase that was build in the early 1800’s that had a type of saw tooth cut into a board that was attached to the case sides. There where four of them. Two facing each other--front to back--on one side and a matching set on the other side. In between was another board that fit into the saw tooth. The shelf fit onto this board and then was adjusted to the desired spacing.

Here was my answer; however, it looked quite time consuming to build. In a fit of clarity, I happened upon the solution. Now I am sure I did not invent this idea, but I did come up with it on my own.

My solution is to take a board that is about a 1 ½” thick (you can glue two boards together if you would like) and about 3 ¼” wide by however long I need. I then start about 6” from the bottom and drill a ¾” hole in the center of the board every 1 ½” along the length. I use a paddle bit or a fostner bit in my drill press. Don’t use a hand held drill for this. Once I have this done, I can then re-saw it on my table saw and cut them in half through the center of the holes. I now have four individual pieces. Before I cut them apart, I label them A,A B,B, as you can see in the drawing. I then attach them to the case with A,A facing each other on one side and B,B on the other. In between I make a 5/8” thick board to fit as a shelf support. You can see this in the picture.

I have been making this type of shelf support for about 10 years and I am really happy with it. It’s elegant, quick, works flawlessly and fits the style of furniture I build. This is a small detail in the whole scheme of the piece but I feel it is an important detail in separating a custom furniture maker from a factory. This type of adjustable shelf support will last 250 years as opposed to the factory way described earlier.

If you would like to see a video demonstration of this or some of my other techniques, leave some feedback or send an email and I will think about working on some of those.

Until next week,

Eric
http://www.ericjohnsonsfurniture.com/
Email: info@ericjohnsonsfurniture.com
603-726-4980
Campton, NH 03223

Eric Johnson's Furniture -- Recent News

2011-10-12T14:47:00.000-07:00

Old Fashioned Milk Paint Contest Winner!

Are you one of those people who can honestly say "I haven't ever won anything in my life?" Well, we were too until last week!

What a kick to learn that we were the winners in a Facebook contest hosted by The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company! We won a generous credit towards milk paint by posting some photos of a variety of projects we have used their great milk paint on! We are looking forward to having a nice supply of milk paint on hand and using it with upcoming projects.

In the meantime, a big thank you to Anne and all the crew at The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company in Groton, MA! If you need a durable and non-toxic paint that comes is a variety of beautiful historic colors and is the easiest paint you could ever want to use, we hope you will look into their American-made product! Below you can see a sample of some projects on which we have used milk paint.

Laker Home Article Recently Published

We recently had a very nice article written in the Home Edition of a local paper: The Laker

Thank you to Christine Randall for the great coverage and featuring New Hampshire Craftsmen!

Enjoy every minute of fall!

Eric & Debbie Johnson
www.ericjohnsonsfurniture.com
Email: ejfurniture@roadrunner.com
(603)726-4980

Ships on your wall not in a bottle

2011-10-10T12:51:00.000-07:00

If you love the sea, think its romantic and captivating, mysterious and awe-inspiring, fun and adventurous, then you probably have nautical and marine mementos and art in your home and office.

A reminder of the days when shipwrights designed and built boats are small scale models.

Before computers and design applications, ships were built using a scale model.

The model was carved out of wood and showed one half of the ship's hull in profile.

The model was then reproduced in full size with the two halves needing to be mirror images of each other.

This wonderful craft is practiced today by one of our artists.

Sam Coes III makes half hull models beautiful enough to be works of art.

Sam recycles wood and finishes them to show off natural grain and color.

Artistic Roots Selects New Executive Director

2011-10-07T20:24:00.000-07:00

Cheryl Johnson will get to follow her passions again - painting and teaching. Cheryl gets to become a regular member once more because Artistic Roots has a new Executive Director. Her name is Monique MacIntosh and she starts this fall.

Monique is a paper artist and Coop member. She has worked many years keeping front offices working efficiently. She is also a writer and has experience in public information and grant writing.

While the Coop warmly welcomes Monique, it isn’t saying goodbye to Cheryl at all. Artistic Roots will hang onto her for dear life. Cheryl is a valuable and dedicated member. As the Coop's first Executive Director, she successfully led the move from its old basement location to the current bigger, brighter, more accessible space. She has also spearheaded the education and community outreach activities of the Coop by organizing classes and encouraging fellow members to share their knowledge and experience. Cheryl loves to teach, and inspires others to get involved.

Then there are the intangibles. With her quiet persistence, calm demeanor, good humor, creative thinking, and positive outlook, Cheryl has united the members to take the gallery from one milestone to another. And with her characteristic grace, Cheryl has been generous with her time and money for all manner of causes related to the Coop. After she transfers responsibility to the new ED, she still plans to stay involved with the management of the Coop by continuing to organize classes and help secure grants for key programs.

2ndhandpaper jewelry at Plymouth Art Show, Saturday Oct. 1, 2011

2011-09-30T07:31:00.000-07:00

Hi, my name is Monique MacIntosh. I am a new artist at the Coop. I make beads out of paper that I would otherwise recycle and send to the dump.

I make my beads by cutting paper into strips, rolling the strips, and finishing the bead using water-based glue and lacquer.

I then string the paper beads with bone, glass, metal, pearl, seed, semi-precious stone and wood beads to create unique and interesting jewelry.

On Saturday, Oct. 1st, as part of the Plymouth Art Show, I will be making my paper beads at Artistic Roots. Come join me and learn how to make rolled paper beads. I plan to be there from 11am to 2pm.

Bookcase--Custom Tiger Maple Bookcase

2011-09-27T08:22:00.000-07:00

This week I wanted to share some pictures and talk about a custom bookcase that I recently completed for a customer in New Jersey.

This customer had some great ideas of the bookcase that he was looking for and it was a great collaboration of ideas.

It included a number of custom features such as beveled glass on the upper case which shows the beautiful solid tiger maple back. The doors are also locking. We wanted a streamlined look with this piece, so rather than using knobs, the key to the lock is the actual knob. Another custom feature on this piece was to hide the butt hinges by using overlay doors.

The shelves in both the upper and lower case are fully adjustable. Next week I will blog about how I make these fully adjustable solid wood shelves.

It was a great project! I always enjoy working with people to mesh their ideas with period features to build both practical and beautiful pieces of furniture. If you have a project in mind, I would enjoy hearing from you.
Until next week,

Eric
www.ericjohnsonsfurniture.com
(603)726-4980
Email: info@ericjohnsonsfurniture.com
Campton, NH 03223

Congratulations to our Clock Winners!

2011-09-12T18:02:00.000-07:00

A hearty thank you to all that entered our summer clock giveaway by either joining our email list or "liking" us on Facebook! It was fun to meet some new folks in person and watch as they entered to win the 8" shelf clocks that we were giving away. One lady was so sure she was going to win, she asked me just to send it home with her that day so that we could save the postage! Smart gal!

Our winners are:

Jackie and Keith from Fairhaven, MASS

Nancy Kennedy from S. Royalton, VT

We hope you both enjoy your new clocks and that they bring you much joy and special memories of your time in New Hampshire!

Thank you everyone else for being willing to share your information with us so that we can stay in contact and let you know the various things that will be happening in the months to come. We have several things in the works and will look forward to sharing them with you weekly after taking the majority of the summer off from most on -line communications.

One thing to mark on your calendar is the great event--New Hampshire Open Doors. This fall it is scheduled for the weekend of November 5 & 6, so mark that on your calendar so that you can be sure to visit us as well as the many other artisans that are sure to participate in this fun and festive event! You can watch as artists sign up and plan your route at http://www.nhopendoors.com/

Keep us in mind for your special gifts or home items! We look forward to hearing from you when you are ready for your next heirloom!

Until next week,

Eric and Debbie
http://www.ericjohnsonsfurniture.com/
Email: info@ericjohnsonsfurniture.com
Campton, NH
(603)726-4980

New Arrivals!

2011-09-06T10:09:00.000-07:00

New ceramics from Mary Ober:

Dragonfly Soup Bowl

One Sun Soup Bowl

Farmhouse Bowl in Goldenrod

Budding Chives Mug

Farmhouse Bowl

Now at Artistic Roots!

Rowing for Roots!

2011-08-02T15:24:00.000-07:00

In August, Gunnar and Heather Baldwin plan to take another rowing trip. Starting in 2003 the Baldwins have rowed from Key West, FL to Norfolk, VA on the Intra Costal Waterway, up the Hudson from Newburg, NY to the Champlain Canal, and the length of Lake Champlain to Quebec. Three years will have passed since their last trip on the Erie Canal in August of 2008. In the past they have rowed to support Habitat for Humanity, raising almost $750,000.00 in money and product donations. This year they plan to row two canal routes in Canada. One is the Rideau Canal from Kingston, Ontario to Ottawa. The other is the Richelieu River and Chambly Canal from the northern end of Lake Champlain to the St. Lawrence River. They plan to leave on August 13, starting in Kingston on the 14^th and, if they finish the Rideau in time, they will also row the Richelieu, before returning on August 28. Their goal is to row 200 miles!

Because there are no affiliates of Habitat for Humanity located along these routes, the Baldwins have decided to raise money for a different cause this time. Artistic Roots, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) non-profit cooperative art center and juried gallery whose mission is to bring together artists and the community through workshops and classes; peer mentoring; receptions and events; and to provide a venue for the sale of artists’ works. The cooperative is managed and run by the members. Membership dues, sales commissions, class tuitions, fund-raising and donations support the maintenance and financing of Artistic Roots, Inc., for the benefit of its members and the community.

The Baldwins want to give Artistic Roots their support in every way they can. (Artistic Roots, in their opinion, is the best place to find fine art and fine crafts north of Boston!) One of the reasons for their interest in Artistic Roots is that Heather is the president of its Board of Directors. Artistic Roots needs all the support they can get! They are doing a wonderful job bringing art education to the Plymouth area as well as providing a very reasonable outlet for their member’s work.

The Baldwins are hoping that friends of Artistic Roots will support their row and send donations and pledges for the miles they row. Pledging by the mile has a way of motivating them to keep going each day to maximize distance! Mileage pledges can be made for any amount and can have a maximum distance. Any and all tax deductable contributions will be gratefully appreciated! Checks should be made out to Artistic Roots and should be sent to:

Rowing for Roots

Donna Castor, Treasurer,

Artistic Roots,

73 Main St.

Plymouth, NH 03264

The Baldwins will maintain an account of their trip at their rowing website, http://rowing.thorntongore.com. Heather and Gunnar hope you will follow their progress and will add your support and become a part of this adventure!

Fred Nold leads round-table discussion

2011-07-24T19:26:00.000-07:00

A small group gathered on Sunday, July 24 to hear Artistic Roots member, Fred Nold, discuss "How to Promote Yourself as an Artist." They talked about how to get work in shows, write press releases, frame and present work professionally, etc. After the talk, the attendees walked around the gallery and discussed different methods use to display work successfully.

Fred, who lives in Hebron, NH, is a nationally known oil painter whose work is in private and public collections throughout the country. He has a gallery in Ashland, NH and his work is also represented in galleries in Naples, Florida. During his artistic career, Fred has won many awards for his distinctive and colorful work. He has been a teacher and has hosted his own TV show.

Grand Re-Opening and Seventh Anniversary Celebration!

2011-07-24T19:11:00.000-07:00

AR celebrated its 7th Anniversary and Grand Re-Opening on Friday, July 22.
Attendees enjoyed a
Silent Auction, Door Prizes, Raffle and Refreshments.
The gallery raised about $1000 toward and a great time was had by all!

Grand Reopening This Friday!

2011-07-20T17:21:00.000-07:00

Please join the members of Artistic Roots on Friday, July 22 to celebrate our seventh anniversary and the grand re-opening of the gallery in our new space at 73 Main Street, in Plymouth. All Day Celebration - 9:00 - 5:00!

~ Come in anytime from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00
~ Meet some of the members
~ Enjoy some refreshments
~ Sign up to win door prizes

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony - 5:00 p.m.
~ At 5:00 p.m., Heather Baldwin, AR President, will preside over the ribbon cutting ceremony to officially commemorate the re-opening of the new gallery

Reception and Silent Auction - 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
~ Have a glass of wine and enjoy some tasty snacks
~ Meet many of the 43 current members - including thirteen NEW ones -
~ Sign up for door prizes
~ Bid on artwork in our silent auction, which will close at 7:30 p.m.
~ Buy raffle tickets for our Collaborative Painting Project, featuring nine original paintings by nine different artists, mounted in one multi-window mat and framed, ready for hanging. The winner will be drawn at 7:30 p.m.

Pots in Process: Garlic Bulb Bud Vases by Mary Ober

2011-06-23T16:11:00.000-07:00

A quick "inside the studio look" at one of my new projects; the garlic bulb bud vase:


Bud vase forms that have been thrown on the wheel and trimmed with a rounded bottom


Each form is sectioned off and molded by hand by a series of adjustments to the form

A few roots are added, and the top is cut and adjusted....


The finished pieces are left to dry before firing.

See one of the first of these Garlic Bulb Bud Vases here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/73644183/garlic-bulb-bud-vase-in-classic

And watch for their arrival on Main St. at Artistic Roots!

Posted By:
Mary Ober
obermary@yahoo.com
www.etsy.com/mary.ober

Tiger Maple Chest of Drawers -- Part 3 of 3 -- Eric Johnson's Furniture

2011-06-14T05:04:00.000-07:00

Hello again,

It is time to finish up this project. This is the third part in the 7-drawer chest of drawer trilogy.
In part two, I described dovetailing the drawer dividers into the case sides. I am going to skip over the dovetailing of the drawers because it will make a good subject for another blog. So, I will begin with the molding.

A few years ago, I had this molding profile custom made by Custance Brothers Woodworking in Ashland, NH. I brought them a molding design I wanted and they cut the knife for me. Now it’s very simple. I just bring them some wood and they run it through their shaper using my custom-made knife. It comes back to me almost ready for a finish. This is really saying something, because most of the time I use tiger maple and as you probably know, tiger maple can be very chippy. I highly recommend them if you need molding, architectural millwork, or other related projects. Check out their website. http://www.custancebrothers.com/.

Next comes the “best” part—sanding, sanding, sanding. I have a drum sander that I run just about all my wood through as I am building. However, at this stage there are scratches and dings that happened as the piece was being built. Because I run 150 grit paper on the drum sander, I am able to start with 150 grit sand paper on my random orbital. I start with my 6” sander and then I go to my 5” sander. The reason I do this is because my Porter Cable 6” leaves very noticeable orbital scratches and my Dewalt 5” doesn’t. The 6” sands very aggressively and fast, so it’s nice to use on large flat surfaces. In the picture, I am sanding the molding. I know I said it doesn’t need much but once I glue it onto the case, I need to make sure the corners look good and sand out wherever glue squeezed out.

Once I am sure I have all the scratches and glue squeeze out taken care of, I move on to the finishing steps. This is kind of a scary step because it is difficult to recover from any mistakes. I often will wipe the whole thing down with paint thinner to hopefully show any imperfections. Once that is dry, I sometimes will wipe the whole thing down with water because I want to swell any long scratches that I may have overlooked. If there are any, I will circle the scratch with pencil sand it out once it is dry. Finally, if I can’t put it off any longer, I will mix up my dye mixture and spray it onto the piece.

I don’t worry about the quality of the spray; I am just flooding it onto the project. I spray a section such as the top and then I will wipe off the excess. I do this over the whole piece, inside and out. I know this sounds like a lot, but it is easy and fairly forgiving.

A few years ago I wrote a blog about my finishing procedure, so I won’t go into much detail here. If you are interested you can read it here.

Here are the steps I use. Step one, I spray on the color and wait for it to dry. Step two, once dry; I flood on a coat of boiled linseed oil. I will let that dry overnight. Step three; in the morning I will flood on a coat of thinned spar varnish. This seals the oil in and creates a barrier between oil and lacquer. After about 20 minutes, I wipe off the excess finish. I let this dry overnight as well. Step four; I spray two coats of nitrocellulose lacquer then lightly sand with 400-grit sandpaper using water and soap as a lubricant. Once this is done, I will wipe the whole thing down with mineral spirits again. Step five; once the mineral spirits is dry, I spray another 3 or 4 coats of lacquer. I let this dry for a couple of days, then I rub out the finish using the method I described in the other blog mentioned above.

I also finish the drawers. I know some very good woodworkers who don’t, but I have never heard a good argument to support their viewpoint. I use shellac and I apply it with a foam brush. I use just two coats and then rub it out with 400-grit sandpaper. I wax the sides so that the drawer slides nicely.
After the piece is all done I now add all the runners and back stretchers. By waiting until now to assemble the interior, I am able to make the inside look as good as the outside. To me this is important and a source of pride. I really like the clean look of the interior and the contrast of the primary wood and secondary wood.

Well, that is it. I hope this has been informative. I know many of you are not furniture makers and won’t be building anything this involved. I also know that many of you enjoy custom, reproduction and antique furniture. I write this in hopes that you will come away with an appreciation of what goes into building a piece like this. Some custom furniture makers out there have a feeling that I am giving away trade secrets and that’s hurting our cause. I don’t believe this to be true at all. I believe the more information that is out there about hand made anything; the more people will be interested in what we do. I believe Norm Abrams has done a lot for custom woodworkers in getting people interested and somewhat knowledgeable about what is involved with woodworking and with that knowledge, folks can better appreciate fine craftsmanship.

Thanks again for stopping by. As always, if you have any questions or comments leave them in the comment section and I will do my best to address them.
Until next time,
Eric
http://www.ericjohnsonsfurniture.com/
Email: info@ericjohnsonsfurniture.com
Campton, NH
(603)726-4980

Eric Johnsons furniture now on facebook / contest

2011-06-08T11:52:00.000-07:00

Well, we have finally done it! We have ventured into the world of Facebook. It isn't that we think there is anything wrong with Facebook. In fact, it is a GREAT way to find out just how you are going to look at your high school reunion compared to everyone else! However, to some of us, it is just so doggone confusing! So if you will bear with us as we figure out how to use it, we will reward you with a chance to win something!
For the summer months (June through August) if you "Like" us on Facebook we will enter your name to win an 8" shelf clock similar to the one shown below:

Until next week,

Eric and Debbie Johnson
www.ericjohnsonsfurniture.com
Campton, NH 03223
(603)726-4980

Cherry Trestle Table by Eric Johnson's Furniture

2011-06-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

Hello again, Here is a picture of a trestle table that I recently completed. I really enjoyed this project because it allowed me an opportunity to do some things I don't do very often such as through wedge tenons. This project was also a bit different because I didn't have to supply the wood. The customers had some cherry that was cut from their property and had milled up a few years ago. They had been storing the wood up in the loft of the workshop and it was plenty dry for this a table.

This next picture shows the wedge mortise and tenon joint that I used for the trestle-to-post joint. The key to this type of joinery is that you have to angle the mortise at the top and bottom from the outside to the inside. (If I get anybody posting a comment who doesn't understand what I am saying here, I will post a drawing of what I mean.) On the through tenon I needed to cut a kerf on the band saw before I put the joint together. Once the joint is glued and slipped into place I tap in some wedges with glue until the joint is locked into place. A word of caution here. You need to have this joint just the way you want it and really be ready to have this part glued together because once this joint is done there is no way you are taking it apart. That's the beauty of this joint--once done, it won't ever give out or fall apart. It is completely locked in.

Below shows the breadboard end. This is a pretty important part of the table in that the breadboard will help to keep the table end flat. Being that the overhang is about 12 inches, the top may have a tendency to cup. The joinery that I use is a pegged mortise and tenon joint. You can see the pegs that I used in the picture. When you do this joint, there is one very important step you have to keep in mind because if you don't, your table top will develop a couple of huge cracks down the length of the top. You have to let the top expand and contract with the different seasons. The way you do this is not glue the mortise and tenon together. How will it hold together you say? Well that is what the pegs are for. Your mortises have to be oversize and the peg holes through the tenon have to be elongated so the table will move within the joinery. One additional step I use is a draw-bore peg. This is an off-center hole in the tenon that, when I drive in the peg, it actually draws the breadboard tighter to the table. This ensures that the joint won't open up at some point in the future.

Here is a picture of the legs. You will notice that it is laminated together. This isn't because I didn't have thick wood to use. I did this because it is stronger. If you look at the grain in the legs, you will notice that with this design there is an awful lot of short grain that could snap fairly easily if some one was to jump on the table. By laminating, the grain from one board actually strengthens the other one. I would bet that two people could tap dance over the legs and it would hold just fine.

Here is a picture of the underside. You can see the design of the stretcher that is attached to the top, as well as the pegged mortise and tenon joints where the post attaches to the feet.

It was a great project and I appreciated the opportunity to do it! This table is a great example of custom furniture fulfilling the needs of a customer better than something from a traditional furniture store. Not only is the table full of hand work and traditional joinery that will insure that the table can last generation, the customers got to have a table made using their own wood--wood that came from their property. When the day comes that their kids inherit the table, it will be just that much more special.
Again, if you have any suggestions for a blog topic or have any questions regarding this blog, please feel free to post it in the comment section. Also, please email me if you have a special project in mind that you would like to work together on.
Until next time
Eric
Eric Johnson's Furniture
http://www.ericjohnsonsfurniture.com/
(603)726-4980
Email: info@ericjohnsonsfurniture.com

One More Day! Artistic Roots Plant and Garage Sale!

2011-05-28T13:14:00.000-07:00

We've all been having a great time at the Artistic Roots Plant and Garage Sale at the Nold Gallery on Main Street in Ashland--and there's still one more day to go. We've enjoyed a steady flow of shoppers throughout the day, but there's still lots of good stuff!

We're happy to report that someone did, in fact, make off with the elephant ballcap. Her name is Susan, and she is a wise woman indeed--with a sense of humor, too!!

Head on over to Ashland tomorrow between 9am and 4pm for some great deals on...well, almost everything! Quilters will delight in filling a shopping bag with assorted fabrics for just $5, while bookhounds will enjoy a selection of hardbacks and paperbacks...the word is that the bird books are not-to-be-missed. And there are even creative bookends to prop up your new reads:

We still have plenty of plants, so if there's a hole in your garden that's begging to be filled, chances are we have the perfect fit:

When you get hungry from all of that browsing, there are hot dogs and lemonade, as well as the promised cookies. Not just any cookies, mind you. There are Raisinette-Chocolate Chip Cookies, organic chocolate chip cookies, and the most adorable shortbread cookie-plants (those are Rice Krispie treats filling the pots):

Be sure to stop by tomorrow! That's 85 Main Street, Ashland. All proceeds benefit Artistic Roots gallery in support of our move upstairs. A heartfelt thanks to those who stopped by already!