Scott Morrison, Montana Fine Woodworker
18 August 2009
“Roses Love Sunshine”
In the 1990s William Kittredge edited The Last Best Place: A Montana Anthology, which I bring up because the subject of today’s blog is from my home state of Montana, not too far, actually, from where my one of my sisters lives. To which most people will say it’s only happenstance, but Scott Morrison will say that he is very much inspired by the beauty that surrounds him in the “Last Best Place,” which sounds rather smug, I suppose, until you actually visit the state. I can no longer tolerate those harsh winters—too many years in sunny San Diego!—but I can honestly say that I never lived anywhere nearly as beautiful as Helena, Montana. But I digress.
What really caught my eye about Mr. Morrison is the beauty of his work, but since we got going on that best place thing, I can’t help pointing out what many of my fellow woodworkers would know, which is that many of Mr. Morrison’s designs are inspired by Sam Maloof, who worked his entire life in California, not too far from here!
I had the honor of meeting Sam on a tour of his shop f
or woodworkers and was just blown away by his generosity of spirit. He actually felt honored to have people making rocking chairs like his, and if there was a detail you hadn’t yet mastered, all you had to do was ask him! But the other very exciting thing about those like Mr. Morrison who are capable of that kind of work is seeing what they can do after they’ve made a few “tribute” pieces. Because, in the end, what the world most wants, I think, is for artists to do their own. Well, sir!
Along with the signature Maloof-style rocker, I’ve featured two truly wonderful variations of cradles. I’m telling you, I’m childless and entirely too old for that sort of thing, but looking at these cradles almost makes me wish I could put them to use! They have the most incredibly sensuous lines about them. The rocker/cradle we’ve featured at the top of this blog was also featured in Fine Woodworking Magazine, which is the kind of tribute guys like me can only dream about from time to time—I’m telling you, that’s some very fast company!
Finally, I wanted to include a picture of Mr. Morrison’s Klismos Chair, which is a light, elegant chair developed by the ancient Greeks. It was actually developed in the 5th Century BC, which gives you an idea of how old—and yet how modern—some of these ideas are. And in the hands of someone like Mr. Morrison, this classic form is as fresh—and as ancient—as a dew-kissed rose.
Joseph
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