Sunday, February 8, 2009

My ‘Heliocentric Sun Ra’ table





The following post is from an email received by Chris Hilling. This is a great example of total dedication to the Sun Ra Legacy. Not to mention, the furniture work is really outstanding. I think we'd all like to have a piece like this in our living rooms. Great work Chris! (click to enlarge pictures!)
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About 25 years ago I began to develop my all consuming passion for music whilst at school and not long after I first discovered the world of Sun Ra. At the same time I also fell in love with woodworking which has since become my career.
So, its taken a while, but these two vital parts of my life have now come together with this piece of furniture which I have designed and made.
The basic design elements of the table match a chair that I made previously, but this time I wanted to take it a stage further and add some marquetry and inlay. It did not take long to find some Sun Ra images that I could adapt into a coherent design for the table top.
The table is made in English Quarter sawn Oak with Maple drawer linings and hand veneered with quarter cut and matched Burr Walnut. The inlayed design is hand cut from colour dyed veneer and surrounded with Boxwood lines and Mother of Pearl.
I am so pleased with the finished piece that I think I may have to carry on and create a full suite of Ra furniture !
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