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What if Picasso had been a chair maker and Stravinsky a designer of
tables? What would have been the impact of such intense creative
talent on twentieth-century furniture? Today there is a man with
this quality of profound artistic vision and talent who has devoted
his life to making furniture. His name is Sam Maloof, and this book
is his life and work told in his own words.
Sam Maloof started making furniture immediately after World War II,
when there was very little demand for hand-made objects. His
perseverance through 'years of difficulty is a testament to the
depth of his love for wood and for working with it. Since
childhood, Sam has also been in love with technique and has
constantly developed his precise sense of form and design. These
three loves-of wood, of making things, and of designbrought him to
the world of furniture and eventually to an honored place among
America's leading artistcraftsmen.
As with true great art, everything Sam Maloof makes seems simple.
His furniture has a clear rhythm and flow, a bright vitality that
eludes analysis. All his furniture is functional: chairs are
comfortable; tables, while sculptural, are still tables to be used;
desks are custom-designed to meet the needs of each user. Though
Maloof furniture designs are all intensely his own, they remain
unassuming and natural. His work has the calm, sure quality that
comes from technical mastery combined with a creative joy in
finding ways to let wood speak. A first encounter with a piece of
Maloof furniture is like meeting a friend from the past-the warmth
of relationship is immediate and delightful. This warmth never
pales.
The qualities of his work are mirrored in the artist. Sam is open,
direct, and gracious. He projects a feeling of affable dignity and
goodwill, and he works with the ease and clarity seen in his
furniture. Work for him is not drudgery. It is a renewal, an
affirmation.
He and his wife, Alfreda, live in a meandering house that nestles
in a lemon orchard at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, near
San Bernardino, California. Sam has been building and expanding the
house for thirty years. It unfolds as a series of surprises, from
Sam's workshop at one end to the new guestroom at the other. Every
room contains the ceramics, woodwork, textiles, baskets, Pictures,
and other beautiful things that nourish the Maloofs and give them
pleasure.
Sam Maloof's technical mastery of woodworking is coupled with
mature, strongly personal artistic expression. He has set a
standard for his craft in North America and the world. Future
generations of craftsmen will see him as one of the major artistic
lights of this century.
An exploration of the life and work of America’s most distinguished craftsman.
Sam Maloof (1916–) is a consummate furniture designer and maker, recognized worldwide as a craftsperson’s craftsman. This book examines Maloof’s lifetime of production. Documented in 200 illustrations, over 90 in color, Adamson traces Maloof’s career from his earliest efforts to the masterworks he produces today. Set in the context of the development of Southern California modernism and the contemporary American craft movement, this volume offers the first thorough look at Maloof’s extraordinary life and work, providing insights into the materials and techniques of woodworking, as well as the artisan lifestyle.
Published in association with the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
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