# Senior Project Paper Interview



## Maxletron (Oct 27, 2009)

Hey everyone, I'm a senior this year at Rockingham County High in Rockingham County, NC and I'm doing my senior/graduation project on woodworking (more specifically furniture). I'm finishing up the research paper right now, but I need one last thing before I can turn it in, an interview. It doesn't have to be a sit-down and answer a series of questions kind of thing. I don't have to turn in any printed out Q&A session. I just need a quote or two from an expert and there's plenty of experts on LJs so I thought I'd look for some input here. I didn't feel like asking random people was the right way to do it, so I'm posting a forum for it where you can leave any feedback if you're interested.

Here's my thesis:

Furniture, since its conception out of the transition from nomadic cultures to settled ones, has transcended the fine arts such as painting, drawing, and photography as a craft that has a rich relationship with age, the physical senses, and functionality, three realms that display a heartier understanding of human values that go beyond the temporal boundaries of life.

I split it into three sections:

Age: where I talk about how furniture grows more valuable and stuff with time
Physical Senses: where I talk about the feel of wood and smells and stuff when crafting a piece
Functionality: where I talk about how furniture serves a purpose in the home and how it relates to family

Feel free to post anything about the topics, the reasons for your passion, whatever. I appreciate any feedback.

I'm gonna post some pictures of my project sometime soon. I'm building a japanese influenced garden/patio kind of bench. It's comin out really nice.

Thanks a lot,
Max


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## Maxletron (Oct 27, 2009)

I just need a quote or two. Anyone can send me a message or a reply or whatever. I gotta turn this paper in on Friday. Thanks.


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## firecaster (Jan 15, 2009)

Max, I'm sorry I can't help you. I'm definately not an expert on furniture building.


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## mtkate (Apr 18, 2009)

For your thesis statement, you should change the word "heartier" to hearty unless you are prepared to argue that there are arts less hearty than woodworking.practitioners of other disciplines would beg to differ.

It is perfectly legit in papers to quote online references. If you are able to get around the interview requirement and use quotes from this website which is in essence public domain… You can look up todd clippinger's post on the beauty of scraping wood. That would be a great add-in concerning the physical senses.

If you can't get around that requirement - sounds like you have been procrastinating too long and are now looking for the quick way out. Ah, memories of high school…


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## juniorjock (Feb 3, 2008)

You could cheat and use the interview Ms. Debbie did with Trifern in the last LJ eMag.


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## Maxletron (Oct 27, 2009)

Thanks for the advice. haha I did procrastinate a little, but I didn't know I needed an interview until a couple days ago. I read Todd Clippinger's blog and that would sound perfect in my essay. I might do that.


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

I am sorry I did not see your post, I have been pretty busy with work and I have not had much time to check out LJ other than a quick stop.

If you need an interview let me know. I am on the computer quite a bit since I am learning Sketchup for a project presentation.


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

I just read back over your thesis. I am impressed with the level of thought expressed in your statement.

I got hooked on woodworking and furniture making from doing research for my remodel business. By studying history I gained more of an understanding for the "why."

Here was something that really struck me about looking at art, architecture, and furniture; they are all related. The basic principles for balance and proportion or playing off of contrast for visual interest, these principles are universally applicable.

And these things, from any given point in time, encapsulate the technology of the day and capture the voice of various political movements or indicate social status. There is much to be learned from all of these objects.


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## Maxletron (Oct 27, 2009)

Wow, that really is interesting to think about. I haven't studied much about architecture, but I've always taken time to look at interesting designs in anything I pass by. Yeah, the history of it all is really captivating.

I'm obviously still a beginner, but I've been interested in woodworking for close to two years now. What got me into everything was the practice of luthiery. I've always loved working with my hands, and once I started researching everything, I got hooked. I'm a musician and I really hope to gain skills in that practice. Furniture is another aspect I really wanted to gain knowledge in, so that's why I chose it for my project. I cleaned out my garage to make room for my shop and hope to be getting that up and running soon. I've got pictures of a lot of stuff. I need to post more.


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## Cosmicsniper (Oct 2, 2009)

I don't quite understand the word "transcended" as you use it in your thesis. The term is a bit too lofty, IMHO, the context of which makes it sound like woodworking is the most important of the fine arts. I think something like, "...like other fine arts, such as photography (etc.), [woodworking] is a timeless craft that has a rich relationship…" Transcendent and timeless are two different things.

I would certainly major on the aesthetic of wood furnishings and its impact on form. The heritage is rich and it originates with a domestic need. But architects like Frank Lloyd Wright so involved himself in the importance of furniture that he insisted on designing the furniture, in most cases, along with his buildings. He understood the necessity of extending his architecture right to the seat of his clients' pants. He never wanted you to forget that you were in a space that he designed. Together, architecture and woodworking provide a function that is also organic and emotional.

However, wood-working isn't only furniture, where form ultimately follows function. I would be sure to indicate that not everything we do has a function. Some of it is pure artistic expression, including many of the amazing works you can see in the project gallery here at LJs. All wooden furniture is crafted by woodworking, but not all woodworking is furniture.


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## Maxletron (Oct 27, 2009)

I'm not saying woodworking is the most important of the fine arts. I'm saying furniture woodworking, along with all crafts, have a different meaning in the art world, different from the fine arts. It's not that any are better, it's that crafts have another value around function and use. I haven't studied much about Frank Wright, but he has always seemed really interesting. I know woodworking has many different aspects. I just wrote about furniture because that is what my project is about. I'm more of a practicioner of luthiery myself, but furniture has always been an interesting subject. Thank you all for your comments. They've helped me sculpt my paper into something even more worthwhile.


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