Mike Lyon

Painting Drawing Printmaking Japanese Woodblock Printing Furniture Lighting

Lake Table and Ten Chairs of Ipe

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This was a major project.  A large table and ten chairs for our home at Lake Lotawana.  The wood for the table base and chairs is all ipe (ironwood) which is extremely dense and heavy (it sinks in water).  The wood is unfinished and weathers very well, but I later had to beef up the joinery with large brass screws into tapped holes.

I was looking for almost line-drawing elements in the chairs and wanted them to be delicate looking but very strong and comfortable — I think I succeeded!  I constructed several prototypes before settling on the Lincoln Log style half-lap joinery throughout.  I think they’re beautiful!