Stone Brewing Co. Furniture & Hardware

While building their East Coast brewery here in Richmond, the fine folks at Stone Brewing Co. - Richmond approached us about creating some custom furniture for the tasting room. Take a peek into the process behind the custom tables and fixtures we created for them.

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Working on picnic and cafe tables.

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Custom tables ready for delivery! Reclaimed wood tops created by  Van Jester Woodworks.

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And now for our favorite part! The two top photos here show Kyle's assistant, Kallen, forging strap hinges for the tour door at the brewery. In the bottom photos, Kyle is forging gargoyle horn handles designed after Stone Brewery's logo for the door.

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There it is! Our hand-forged hardware installed on the tour door made by Van Jester Woodwoorks.

Hope you get a chance to stop by Stone for a brew. And if you do, let us know what you think of the tables and tour door!

Microscopic mosaic series

This series of mosaics inspired by microscopic images was part of a group show we organized with a few artist friends. In honor of the spring timing of the show and the natural themes and materials in much of the group's work, the title of the show is GROWTH. In addition to our work, this show features the work of furniture maker and designer Christina Boy, ceramic artist Maria Stone, muralist Emily Herr, and textile artist Emily Nicolaides.

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While brainstorming ideas for mosaics for this show, I first thought I'd return to familiar themes such as maps or aerial views. But as I sat with the idea of "growth," jotting down words that came to mind in a sketchbook, I was struck by the idea of cellular imagery. I've long thought microscopic patterns would make for interesting mosaics.

This first piece I created for this series is based on osteons, the structural element of compact bone. Compact or cortical bone forms the outer layer of most of our bones. If each of these mosaics represents an element of the larger theme of "growth," Bone Cells represents the element of "support." In order to have the strength and courage to grow, we all need to be supported.

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Next up is Mitosis, or cell division. Specifically, I based this piece on imagery of metaphase, the middle part of the process when the chromosomes are paired and aligned but not yet separated. Mitosis represents the element of "change." This is the heart of growth, that moment when we teeter on the line between our old selves and our new selves.

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The last piece in the series is based on the rods and cones, photoreceptors in our retinas that give us, respectively, night and color vision. Rods & Cones represents the element of "vision" in the greater theme of "growth." We need vision to imagine a new way forward and motivate us to grow. While I created this piece last in the series, perhaps it belongs at the beginning of the story.

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I originally thought I would leave these pieces ungrouted, but Mitosis and Rods & Cones seemed to need a little more contrast. So I grouted each of these pieces in two shades of gray, and I think it made all the difference!

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Finished series ready for their frames! Each small piece measures 6"Hx6"W. The materials are unglazed porcelain and found reclaimed vitreous glass.

Making Mosaic Mirrors

Here's a peek into Johannah’s design process as it evolves through four different large mosaic mirrors.

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After making several mirrors in light, pretty colors with curving lines, I wanted to create a mirror that felt more masculine. The colors in this mirror are heavier and more earthy, and the grout line is straight. The first photo shows the palette and color progression for this piece, and the second photo shows the mirror in process.

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The colors and the serpentine line in this mirror are similar to earlier mirrors, but I added an inner border in flat gray unglazed porcelain.

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For this mirror, I used the porcelain border in place of the sinuous grout line in the last mirror. This piece makes me think of an underwater ocean scene, with the the meandering line of ceramic against the deep blues and greens. The first photo shows the finished mirror ready for grout. The second photo shows a photo shoot in process with the mirror on our fancy rolling photo wall!

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For this last mirror in the series, I wanted to work with blue and black again as I did in the first piece. I used unglazed porcelain in blue rather than the neutral grays and browns in my earlier mirrors. I created a wider and more dynamic serpentine grout line. Against the dusky blues, this grout line reminds me of a line of smoke rising from a candle or a stick of incense. The first photo shows my sketch for the grout line, and the second photo shows the piece in progress. Those cookie trays are so helpful for sorting colors. 

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