Dan Gibb

View Biography | View Work

Furniture making began for me out of necessity when I moved to London Ontario in 2000. I arrived with everything needed to avoid post-secondary schooling (nothing) and lived for some time in an empty space with nothing to sit on. Being too stubborn to purchase or borrow, I set about building myself what I required. Early works were built with the most affordable materials available. Salvaged wood from construction sites, industrial waste and low-grade furniture lumber kept me in supply while I taught myself to work by hand with a small collection of basic tools. Over a number of years I’ve managed to develop my technique and process of building beyond the rough carpentry practices that started me in trade work. The furniture I create now reflects what I learned during those early struggles to manipulate wood into useful objects, though the focus has turned away from utility and towards my love of the creative process. I work with materials that are generally useless for production work. Materials rejected by industry for their irregularity are crafted by hand into forms tailored to highlight their unique characteristics. The final form and detailing of the furniture evolves as I work with the materials. From acquiring the wood to applying the finish I leave the process open to whatever inspiration may strike me.
An ongoing fascination with musical instrument construction is influencing my recent designs and constructions. As I continue to experiment with my second Viol-family instrument the principals of viol construction have become ever more important to how I design and build. The use of bent structural forms and an increased attention to the resonant properties of structure and materials are now major elements in my furniture.
Just as my need for a chair to sit on has lead to my present work, I expect the need to build other instruments will lead in new directions and inspirations for my work.

View Artists by Name
View Artists by Image