Eben Blaney
I design my furniture to be relatively spare, yet elegant and useful. My design process involves a great deal of subtraction–paring away excess mass or unnecessary elements that don’t complement or serve the main thrust, dramatic gesture or function of the piece. The resulting structures are angular, some rectilinear, some with gentle curves. I use traditional hand tools in combination with modern machinery to shape and join components precisely, focusing on creating interesting compositions of negative and positive space, harmonious lines and a sense of lightness. Where appropriate, I join pieces using exposed tenons, pegs and splines to lend selective visual interest and express the piece’s structure. I often add color and utilize certain combinations of woods within a piece, carefully selecting and using the most beautiful hardwoods available.