Mason McBrien

Rockport, Maine
Series Seven Tables, 2009
limed white oak (available in scorched oak with cadmium red, walnut, cherry, bleached ash, scorched ash and, upon request, other woods such as curly maple and mahogany)
39" x 14" x 30"

“The table represented here in the Messler Gallery is one from a series of seven in various woods and finishes. I had several objectives in mind when making these tables. Primarily, I wanted to create a table form that was elegant and unique in design, yet was relatively simple to make in order to meet an affordable price point. I took the opportunity to make this a learning experience for students and myself. Each table demonstrates how a single form can look so different by using various wood species. By utilizing different finishing options I can emphasize this point as well as explore a few new techniques, some borrowed from the world of wood turning. The unusual height of the tables pushes the boundaries of convention. A typical hall table would be from 25 to 30 inches. These can top out at over 39 inches. This more dramatic height has historic precedent in some rare tables from Baltimore, MD and Portsmouth, NH made during the Federal period.”
                                                            (Mason McBrien, 2009)