From the Studio — Process

Just planted the first of my new line of table designs at City Life in Brea, CA. It is a dining table made of 'sun tanned' poplar with steel lags that I decided to call the Ceasar.

It's named after my amigo who commissioned it first as a custom order last summer. He wanted something that looked and felt like, "the Last Supper if it was in Manhattan". I love design challenge riddles like that. So we carefully chose some...

Here's one of those designs I ripped right out of a magazine. Well technically, my client messaged me the pic from her phone. Not sure what company it's from, but thanks for the idea;)

As always, I added a few twists and turns of my own to make it work for this particular situation. Now it's another design solution up my sleeve for the next time someone wants a less traditional (and very economical) 'frame' for their fireplace...

Happy Chestnut Roasting,
©MonkCarpentero™
...

So I was drawing out a design for a custom desk for my old friend (who's nickname is T-money) and he says, "I want it extra fresh Monk. Go Big. Can you do like a T in old english on the side?"

Whether he was joking or not, I probably shouldn't have called his bluff. But when challenge is presented I almost have this instant reaction on most occasions...

"Yeah Sure! Why not?"

It's not that cutting fonts are the hardest thing in the world...

I don't know about you, but the ideal me is ultra-organized and super-efficient at any given moment. But I can easily fall into that sneaky trap where I'll arrange my desk or workshop for hours without getting anything done.

I recently learned a really quick and cool organization method called 'knolling' from a short documentary on multi-media sculpture Tom Sachs directed by The Selby. Tom describes knolling as "putting like objects together in parallel or perpendicular fashion as a means of organization". Very simple indeed. Here's one of my first 'knolls'...

Awhile back I went to this 'networking' event, but realized I was cardless. So I grabbed some sandpaper and wrote my info on the back with a Sharpie™. It looked ultra-ghetto, but people actually liked it and asked for more!?

So I decided to revive that project in a more refined way, but keep the handmade craftspect of it intact.

Here's the process...

Design and Print...

Glue and Stick...