Arcata's Willow Studio Closes, 1984-2017, Arcata, California, Owner Brian J Federici скачать в хорошем качестве

Arcata's Willow Studio Closes, 1984-2017, Arcata, California, Owner Brian J Federici

Brian Federici opened his Willow furniture studio in the old Creamery building on 8th St. in Arcata, California in 1984. While living a block away from the studio, and on an evening stroll, I met Brian and was introduced to his beautiful willow chairs that he had made from willow branches gathered from the wetland located across the street from his studio. The thought of someone gathering resources by hand from nature; in the middle of a town, and then to make something out of it, was new to me- at age twenty-two, much was new to me. At the end of the decade, his willow source, lost to development when the wetland was buried, converted to a commercial lot. The property owner complained previously Brian hadn't cut down the willows. Brian said, he was cutting the willows, but they grow fast. That growth rate made his harvest of branches environmentally sustainable. However, his walk to locate and gather willow continued to lengthen with the years as development marched forth. I visited Brian's Willow Studio frequently throughout its existence, as did many friends and passerbys. They too would sit on the sheep skin placed on the willow loveseat, and catch up with Brian. The conversations were never trivial, always about the deeper things that make humans, society and nature tick. When you leaned back against the loveseat, no matter how much time passed since the previous visit, it was as if none had. The Willow Studio became my "center" of Arcata, as no matter how long I stayed away or how far away I lived, upon returning, Brian's studio felt like home. Entering it through the sliding warehouse door was a step back in time; his walls plastered with articles and posters from town music, theater and protests spanning 33-years of Arcata history. Surrounding those town notices were collages of art, old postcards, photos, paintings, mobiles, odd contraptions, interesting sculptures; artifacts that speak to Federici's likes, interests and values. Scattered elsewhere: books on philosophy and the environment, a display of local bird feathers, bird books, bundles of willow branches, bark, coffee cans of pencils, brushes, chisels, bottles of lacquer and paints, all positioned within a maze of handmade willow wares; end tables, dream makers, chairs, loveseats, tall room dividers, the latter he utilized willow bark to construct. Etched on bark, a language of symbols, as he would joke, "explaining the origin of the universe," or maybe he wasn't joking? On the north studio wall you could see dates and lines drawn, documenting the path of the winter sun that shone upon it through southern windows. By foot or by bike, he traveled, no car. While attending HSU in the 80's, I'd run into Brian, a fixture at Los Bagels, sitting aside his bicycle, with hay in his hair covered by a wool beanie, he'd greet you with a morning smile over toasted bagel and warm cup of dark roast. Brian swam in Humboldt Bay regularly, all year round, even in winter. He sought nature, and with it near, over time, he couldn't help but become Arcata's center-of-town ecological eye-witness. He observed how things changed, change that ultimately impacted him. Then in late 2017, he closed his studio after 33 years. It broke my heart to see it close. He was "encouraged" to leave by the owners of the building, even a friend of mine; also their friend, justified the move advocating more practical economic use of the physical space, and like a welcome to the end of an era, Brian would close the studio and move on. When he first mentioned closing the studio for good, shocked to hear this the day before I was to leave Arcata with no set plans to return, was troubled to think this would be the last visit? I asked Brian, "could I drop by in the morning to take photos before shoving off?" He agreed. So I did. Brian''s life and experience in Arcata, a guidepost to Arcata's ecological history. As a naturalist artisan, living three blocks from the town plaza, he interacted with nature, harvesting willow, growing big gardens, swimming in Humboldt Bay, observing changes to the environment that surrounded him. I thought it a shame that his perspective and story be lost forever, like the wetland where he first gathered willows across from his studio, gone for good. May we remember his life of gathering willow branches that were once living trees in the center of town, like he then, there, living in a different era, when there was space and demand for handmade willow chairs, and a role for the likes of Brian in the lives of others. Author: William Ihne Contact: desertplayer@hotmail.com Brian's studio photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/jTXuN1eLUnx... If you liked the piano piece , check it out being recorded at David Darling's recording studio, produced by Tommy Skarupa. I filmed it.    • Scott VanDyke Complete Recording Session. ...