Woodworking mecca - Northwest Fine Woodworking

Sunset, April, 1997 by Peter O. Whiteley

For the fine-furniture aficionado, all roads lead to a Seattle gallery devoted to contemporary woodworkers' art

There is a seductive power to wood. And it takes an artist to draw it out with elegant outlines, burnished grains, and silken textures. The best work in wood is the opposite of wooden. It becomes a tactile totem. And nowhere is that more evident than at Northwest Fine Woodworking, Seattle's remarkable temple to the art of the woodworker.

The 4,000-square-foot co-op gallery presents the work of almost 300 of today's top American wood artisans, though 30 co-op members form the core of exhibitors. (To be presented, nonmember projects must first be juried by an in-house panel.) The one-of-a-kind pieces range from large furniture to small, functional items (such as salad bowls, lamps, and mirrors) to a few decorative objects.

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All the work shown is considered contemporary, though influences from a spectrum of eras and cultures are visible. At any one time you might see curvilinear headboards and rockers showing a Shaker simplicity, chairs with expressive Craftsmanlike joinery, tables that reflect a Japanese spareness of form and structure, sideboards that recall the angular modernity of Scandinavian design, and freestanding cabinetry with a whimsical, cartoonlike style. You might see bureaus with elegant inlays, but you won't find ornate carving or' early-American reproductions: no copies are allowed. All work must be original.

"What you see on the floor is just the tip of a woodworking iceberg," says Christopher Brookes, the gallery's director. An important part of the gallery is a library containing member portfolios, as well as portfolios organized by theme. More than 30 percent of the business is custom orders, and once customers find an artist or a style that suits their taste, the gallery will assist them in ordering a piece for their home. Customers can then choose woods and finishes, but since the gallery's goal is to celebrate the natural beauty and character of the wood, virtually nothing here is stained.

WOODWORKING VALUE

Prices are surprisingly competitive with excellent-quality production furniture. Last year's average prices ran about $800 for a dining room chair, $3,000 for a dining room table, $3,100 for a bed frame and headboard, $3,900 for a buffet, and $6,500 for a home entertainment center. Besides these larger, high-ticket items, the gallery also sells smaller objects, such as a $25 box or a $50 turned bowl. It also presents thematic shows during the year - currently running (through April 30) is a show titled Contemporary Influences.

The gallery is at the corner of S. Jackson Street and First Avenue S. Store hours are 10:30 to 5:30 Mondays through Saturdays, noon to 5:30 Sundays. For more information, call (206) 625-0542 or visit the gallery's new Web site at http://www.nwfinewoodworking. com, which has pages of images organized by concept.

Other woodworking temples

WASHINGTON

Bellingham, Artwood; (360) 647-1628

LaConner. Wood Merchant; (360) 466-4741

OREGON

Newport. Wood Gallery; (541) 265-6843

Portland. The Real Mother Goose; (503) 223-9510

CALIFORNIA

Carmel. Fine Woodworking of Carmel; (408) 622-9663

Half Moon Bay. Gallery M; (415) 726-7167

Los Angeles. del Mano; (310) 476-8508

Mendocino.

William Zimmer Gallery; (707) 937-5121

Highlight Gallery; (707) 937-3132

San Diego. Signature Gallery; (619) 297-0430

ARIZONA

Scottsdale. Joanne Rapp Gallery; (602) 949-1262

NEW MEXICO

Santa Fe. Kent Galleries; (505) 988-1001

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Woodworking mecca - Northwest Fine Woodworking

Sunset, April, 1997 by Peter O. Whiteley

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