#steve heller

Steve Heller Episode #201 - You’re Causing Fire!

Steve Heller began making sculpture as a kid, but went into full time production in 1987, his father past away. His father was an antique dealer, but in reality he was a junk collector. After he passed away, Steve’s mother asked me to help remove the piles of metal that he had accumulated over the years. On the way to the dump Steve looked in the rear-view mirror and realized he was about to throw away a gold-mine, so he began welding in earnest that very summer using the material he salvaged from his father. As Steve said, “I found that my father had a great eye!” Steve’s sculptures have appeared around the world, and his “Stargate” is part of the permanent collection at

The American Visionary Art Museum

in Baltimore. Steve started Fabulous Furniture in 1973. However, he’s been making work his whole life. When he was twelve he used to do his paper route and then ride his bike over to the park and look for fallen trees. He would carry them home in his press basket and carve them into forms. Steve still has some of those original pieces. At Fabulous Furniture they do all of their own logging, looking for trees too big and misshapen to be used by other loggers. Many of these trees are rotten or dead, and both of these “defects” produce their unique grain patterns. They do the milling, sawing and drying right at Fabulous Furniture in Boiceville, NY. Nothing is stained or dyed: all variations occur naturally in the wood.

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Steve Heller:  👎

The Great Discontent interviews the prolific design writer and historian Steve Heller (who has more than 100 books under his belt, including such gems as 100 Ideas That Changed Graphic Design, Iron Fists, and Typography Sketchbooks).

Pair with Zadie Smith's spectacular love-hate letter to New York and other celebrated writers on New York.

The Great Discontent interviews the magnificent Steve Heller – The New York Times' design critic of 30 years and the most prolific design writer and historian of all time, with more than 100 books under his belt (including such gems as 100 Ideas That Changed Graphic Design, Iron Fists, and Typography Sketchbooks).

Also see Alan Watts on how to live with presence and Annie Dillard's beautiful meditation on the subject.