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David A. Wade: Continuing the Legacy

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Creating fine woodwork for more than 25 years, David worked side by side with Sam Maloof honing his skills. As WadeMade, he carries on this extraordinary tradition while expressing his own design sense with his "tribute to Maloof" and by incorporating re-purposed industrial objects.

From an early age, David was known to be "good with his hands." His boy scout troop leaders and school report cards noted his interest and talent for arts and crafts. David's hands were always busy exploring car culture, making jewelry, working with metal, and finally, working with wood. While making an elaborate clock in his high school Shop class, a fellow student told David that he ought to meet her grandfather, renowned woodworker Sam Maloof.

David Wade in the studio

David slowly worked his way into Sam's workshop, doing everything from raking leaves and sweeping out the studio. He was given more and more responsibilities."It was like The Karate Kid," David jokes. He eventually worked his way up to being one of Sam's three assistants, and worked closely with the master craftsman for 20 years.

Although the "Maloof flair" is intrinsically tied up with David's aesthetic, he brings his own artistic voice to sumptuous wood design. His design sense goes back to his love of car culture and ties in with his admiration of mixed media and assemblage.

Clockwise, from left: Side Table; Cutting Board; EnoCraft wine display

A key element in David's design is the combination of wood and metal. The contrast of the warmth of the wood and the coolness of the metal create a comfortable tension. Aircraft and industrial parts are given a new lease on life by being re-purposed as table bases and feet structure. That Maloof influence is never far away, appearing in the fine quality of woodcraft, softly sweeping lines and satiny finishes. David also credits his mother's Old World Dutch roots as an influence on his creativity.

Cocobolo Stool

In addition to hands-on training at the Maloof Studios, David also studied carpentry and woodworking technology and received formal training at Cal State Fullerton, where he studied under Frank E. Cummings. His years of creative collaboration with Mike Johnson, Larry White and Sam Maloof served to instill in him an unparallelled work ethic developed to meet the demands of his mentor. "It was an honor and a privilege to work with Sam," David says. Likening the workshop to an Olympic training center, he and the rest of the team were always kept on their toes. In David's mind, they made some of the world's best furniture.

Meet David and his woodwork on Friday, September 19 from 5-9pm at Chemers Gallery! While you're here, don't forget to stroll Enderle Center to enjoy music of the 50's, 60's and 70's performed by Ricardo Valenzuela & Friends, rounding out the Enderle Center Summer Concert Series.

Home is Where the HeART is!

You don't need to have tons of wallspace to fill your home with eye-catching artwork! From shelves and side tables to windows and bathroom vanities (yes, even your bathroom can be an art mecca!), we love to bring art into every layer and facet of your abode.

If it's translucent vessels and trays in bold colors your looking for, we've got you covered! In the mood to fill your windows with luminous glass? No problem! Chemers Gallery will send Nick Capaci and Leona Hawks to the rescue...

Nick Capaci
Keeping her son on the straight and narrow was motivation for Nick Capaci's mom to become a Cub Scout Den Mother. A self-proclaimed "hooligan of the neighborhood," Nick's first encounter with art was during one of his mom's Cub Scout meetings where he and the other boys had a lesson in potato printing. The wonder of carving into an object to create artwork was addicting and from that point on, Nick was a determined artist. Thank you, Mama Capaci!

Nick's dual focuses of monotype printmaking and glass working go hand-in-hand. Both require an intricate process of layering and building forms to create the final image, whether two- or three-dimensional. Nick's glass trays and vessels are an intriguing mix of rigid geometry and organic fluidity, much like the make up of glass itself. Utilizing techniques of fusing, slumping, fire polish and cold working, Nick creates stunning works of art in beautiful jewel-like colors.

Leona Hawks 
Playful and bright, glass gets the star treatment from Utah artist, Leona Hawks! In a previous life, Leona was a professor at Utah State University but chose to leave academia to pursue her passion for glass. Favoring recycled clear glass as her starting medium, Leona artfully adds color in the form of metal oxides, ground and dichroic glass, copper pieces or other materials that produce chemical reactions in the heat of the kiln. The results are fused glass trays, dishes and light catchers that are organic in nature and radiant in hue.

Be on the lookout for a special announcement concerning Leona and her stunning glass!

 
Contrast the airiness of glass with the solid and earthy form of wood to create a new layer in your home. We welcome local wood turner, Michael Evans, to Chemers Gallery!

Michael Evans

Local woods and exotic timbers feature in every object Michael Evans produces. Working on a wood lathe with individual lengths, Michael's turned forms are both decorative and functional. It's impossible not to want to run your hands over the silken contours of a bowl made from eucalyptus or African mahogany. Select vessels are inlaid with tiny pieces of turquoise, creating a feel of organic luxury. Whether smooth-edged or roughly natural, Michael lets the true beauty of the wood shine though. That exquisite luster that gleams from within is the result of sanding, buffing and oiling every piece 10 or more times.

Not only is Michael a talented wood turner, he is also a musician, playing upright bass with the South Coast Symphony and in outdoor productions in Branson, Missouri. 

Speaking of fine wood, don't forget to mark your calendars for next week's reception of 

WadeMade Fine Wood Craft!

We'll see you next Friday!