Wood + Textiles: Creative partnership yields ‘furniture-art’

When artist Pamela King started working with fine furniture maker Jeff Phillips they both knew something fun and vibrant was in store. The resulting ‘furniture-art’ combines the functionality of timber furniture with the beauty and warmth of textile design.

Together, Pam and Jeff created three distinctive pieces: a sideboard, a hall light and a wall hanging.

The clean lines and flawless design are reminiscent of Scandinavian furniture, but the organic irregularity of the bamboo and the softening quality of the silk suggest a Japanese influence. Pam’s use of colour with interwoven silk and sheer fabric, raw edges, metallic ribbon and natural fibres is vivacious and uplifting.

Jeff used feature grade blackbutt with a matt finish and simple mitre joints. The rich honey colour of the timber complements the fabrics and the warm lighting achieves a subtle effect.

‘The demand for unique pieces of designer furniture is steadily increasing as a focalpoint for home living spaces as well as meeting rooms and foyers of workplaces,’ said Pam. ‘Our initial inspiration for this range was the foyer of iAccelerate, a new building on the Innovation Campus of the University of Wollongong. The high ceilings and industrial architecture are ideal for vibrant colours and interesting shapes.’

Pam is currently creative director of Urban Timber, bespoke furniture makers based in Wollongong. She has worked in textiles and fine arts for over twenty years, and exhibited in Wollongong and Sydney. Her warm and colourful creations reflect her positive, bubbly personality and generous spirit.

Jeff’s industry experience spans 30 years. He’s spent as much of that time teaching as he has creating fine furniture in his studio. He combines traditional handcrafting tools with precision machining to produce high quality furniture and household objects to last a lifetime. He is currently working with Urban Timber, but also exhibits his own creations at select furniture galleries in NSW, including Bungendore Wood Works Gallery near Canberra.

‘I really enjoyed working with Pam on this project,’ said Jeff. ‘We developed concept sketches together and built a prototype of the sideboard to nut out problems and visualise the finished piece.’

These pieces are for sale and will be exhibited at the iAccelerate Building in Fairy Meadow, and Red Point Studio Gallery in Port Kembla.

Urban Timber produces detailed joinery and cabinetry to client specifications, as well as a design service working from concept through to installation. Recycled and salvaged Australian hardwoods are commonly used, as well as other materials such as concrete, glass, laminates, steel and textiles.

Photos taken at Project Contemporary Art Space in Wollongong by Larry Ciccarello.

Learn more from urbantimber.com.au or call Shane King on 0422 408 842.

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