Thanks to a gift from a friend, I spent yesterday in Sam Maloof’s shop.
The class from University of California at Riverside is entitled “A Day with Sam Maloof”. Sam is ill and was unable to teach, so he handed he job to Mike Johnson. Mike is one of three of Sam’s woodworking partners, and has worked for Sam since 1981.
At the end of the day Sam was very gracious to invite all 23 students into his home and spoke with us from a hospital bed for about 15-20 minutes. No one took pictures or asked for autographs. We were just grateful for Sam and Beverly’s kindness in inviting us into their home.
What amazed me was that the artistic accomplishments of this man’s life can be summed up in a few joints and techniques, assembling beautiful wood into chairs and tables. How wonderful to find the thing he did best and spend a lifetime developing an idea. I find myself not so much wanting to make a Maloof rocking chair (though I am obsessing on his tables), but to grow in what I can do beautifully in life and keep on growing for my whole life. Thanks, Sam!
Now with that intro, I’ll post some pictures. Instead of trying to re-create 6 hours of explanations, I’ll let the photos speak and invite your comments. If you have questions, I’ll try to answer what I know. I am choosing shop photos over finished pieces.
For Southern Californians, there is a nice collection of his pieces that opened last night in the Riverside Art Museum.
Reply With Quote
! Glad to hear you had a great time though.
