From one project – directly into another. No time to rest! This is definitely the answer to stopping the “blahs” after finishing a large project.
I have travelled to Savannah, GA to work with a very talented furniture maker and restorer – Greg Guenther. He is working on restoring 2 beautiful English tables (I think he said from the mid 19th century). The carving on them is absolutely exquisite. The acanthus leaves were carved with so much elegance and depth – the one that carved these tables was a master. However, most likely back in the mid 1800s there were several carvers working on separate parts of it. It is a real honor to be working on such a magnificent piece of furniture.
There are quite a few pieces missing – the main piece which I will have to re-make is the bell flower with grapes – I will need to make 3 of them and fit them into the missing areas. It is quite a challenge. Fortunately, I have enough pieces that are still intact that I can refer to those as to the style of carving.
Going from a huge shell niche carving to these delicate acanthus leaves – I have to almost retrain my hand to be more gentle with the wood. I already have broken off a small piece by being too heavy-handed. The wood is basswood, so it is quite soft.
I always love working for Greg because I usually get to stay at his cottage – a lovely little 1780s (I think) cottage – one of the oldest in Savannah. He and his wife rent it out, so if you ever want a great place to stay while in Savannah, check out “Laura’s Cottage”. It is absolutely idyllic. Sometimes my husband is able to come with me when I have work to do for Greg, and then we extent it to a vacation. Savannah is our “getaway” place only 2 hours from Charleston.
I also love working for Greg because it is always a challenge. He gets some magnificent pieces of furniture that needs repairing (and new pieces also), and because the carvings are such high quality, the challenge to make the repairs high quality always keeps me on my toes. And Greg knows what he wants too – he understand the styles, and knows what is right and what is not. He is quite particular, and that is why his work is so sought after.
I’ve known Greg and his wife, Vicki, for over 13 years now, and they have become great friends.
I will probably be here through Saturday. Today was really spent getting the wood cut, and making sure everything is accurate. I only started to actually carve at about 3:00. I’ve got a lot to do in the next 2 days. I’ll keep y’all informed (Charleston lingo).
