I had the privilege of seeing the work of Thomas Huang and meeting him for the first time tonight at Oregon College of Arts and Craft.  His work is in a group show displaying there through February 22.

Notice the connections between the three materials he uses: bamboo strips, laser cut steel, and rough sawn wood.  Unnoticed to most is the skill, care, and time required to prep the bamboo into these delicate strips.

Tom learned how to work bamboo from my friend Jiro Yonezawa here in Portland a few years back.  According to local lore- he moved out here on a whim and lived in Jiros basement, learning from the master all while eating only bananas and soft serve ice cream. Ok… only part of that is true.

Tom is faculty now in the Industrial Design department at the University of Kansas.  I actually emailed him 5 years ago asking for advice as I faced a crossroads in my education.  He doesnt remember giving me advice, and I dont remember what he said.

Nonetheless I remember he tried his very best to be helpful and I appreciate that.  Thanks Tom- whatever you said worked!  Im continuing the chain by being as helpful as possible to young people- ok that makes me sound O L D.

GLOBAL “CROSS CULTURALIZATION” places us all in a state of negotiation and resolution.  My work reflects this condition through the reconciliation of dissimilar materials within the language of furniture.  It is a language that celebrates physical sensuality, emotional sentiment, and visual harmony; a common global language.  I am drawn to the potential of funriture objects to enable intimacy and to the care and detail of their making.

So of course I told him about Project Chaboo. He shyly asked me if he could participate.  Are you kidding me?  It would be an honor.  Stoked!