About

This Month  .  .  .  The Design Process

Warren Pollock had never worked in a wood shop when he became a BARN member two years ago. However, he did have many years of design experience as an architect creating buildings and interiors built by other people. 

He started with the shop orientation class, and with the help of monitors and members he went on to complete 11 furniture pieces and one forearm crutch. His work was so striking and so well-done that some of his furniture was featured in a local art gallery — an achievement that many more seasoned woodworkers might envy.

At the August 10 General Membership Woodworkers’ meeting, Warren will explain the design process he uses to create his original furniture pieces. His training and style are modern. The houses he designed are angular, curved and vary contemporary but all were engineered to not be complicated, utilizing common construction methods, and this is carried forward in his woodworking creations.  His process includes hand sketches, computer drawings, paper models and detailed dimension drawings. Warren will also discuss why his pieces often include the simplest in readily available materials from cabinet doors from Ikea, prefinished plywood, exotic hardwood, myrtle wood from the Oregon coast, tempered glass and standard hardware store items.

Three of Warren’s furniture pieces and six of his drawings were shown at the Island Gallery in November 2018, and his work is currently available there. Several pieces have sold. He is currently working on a new drawing series and is about to start his next furniture piece.

Please join us to hear Warren’s story and understand how a professional with no woodworking background developed a process and style that can teach us all how to overcome a lack of experience and create beautiful projects.