My first stool is all cherry wood, with a deeply sculpted seat. Looks like it would be dangerous, but it’s really quite comfortable. The top is painted a beautiful, deep, ultramarine, and the legs have been lightly stained red. Not bad for a first attempt, but not nearly as nice as the second.
The second stool has a birch seat with birch and cherry legs and spreaders. After considering the first stool, I turned the legs upside down, softened the seat, and voila! Sanded so smooth you can’t stop touching it, a nice oil finish, some wax, and voila! I donated this stool to the Kansas City Art Institute for its fancy auction fund-raiser, and was very gratified that they selected it for inclusion in the preview exhibition. Two local collectors bid hotly, and it finally went to the Gradingers for a bit over $650. Seemed fair, and I wasn’t a bit disappointed.
Blue Stool with deeply sculpted seat, 1998, 25" high, cherry wood, acrylic paint and polyurethane finish (photo: Al Surratt)
Stool, 1998, 25" high, cherry wood and birch wood, hand rubbed oil finish, collection of Pam & Gary Gradinger (photo: Al Surratt)