#showpdx

The type truck was parked outside Museum of Contemporary Craft yesterday and DWP is in full swing (and it's only Wednesday)! It's great to host the truck as well as PNCA student projects, Plazm magazine, and Design Crush in The Lab.

In preparation, I had the opportunity to jury ShowPDX, which "displays over 60 examples of unusual and stimulating furniture design and provides designers/fabricators/makers with a place for peer and public recognition and dialogue." Fellow jurors and I were tasked with selecting innovative and functional works of furniture. I was joined by Stefan Arden of Krownlab, Jerry Waters of Dull Olson Weekes - IBI Group Architects, Mitch Morse of M/d/o, and Sebastian Guivernau of skylab architecture. We had a great discussion around all kinds of pieces, selecting our favorites. Interesting to me was being 1) the only female in the group, and 2) not a designer or an architect.

Some of my favorites included the Gillstratra chair by Danielle Thireault. Great design and comfortable, which can't be said of most design-based furniture. Using the production technique of mortise and tenon as well as the material selection of felt root Gilstratra squarely within the craft tradition. Another standout for me was Thane Woodworking's Elm Nighstand. The work and dedication to creating a ceramic-faced, highly engineered, extraordinarily smooth gliding drawer within a huge elm stump is epic, not to mention humorous. Both of the entries from Von Tundra were quality examples of good, flexible, and smart design.

By far, the piece that took our collective breath away was the Quilted Steel Bench by Rick Potestio & Todd Littlehales (photo by Craig Metke) . The quilted surface appeared as though it could be metal, wood, or tightly upholstered fabric. Upon sitting, it was apparent the surface is steel, but with give and flexibility. Materials are a mild steel and stainless steel combination which make for a sleek, yet tactile experience. ShowPDX is located at 1233 NW 12th Avenue and is free and open to the public October 4 - 27, Tuesday and Thursday between noon-2pm and 4-6pm, Saturday 10-2. Q&As Thursday October 11 and 25th at 5pm.