The brief for this project was to design and build a chair to give comfort in two different ways.
In March 2006 a gentleman with a rather unusual request contacted me. Two years previous he had sadly lost his wife, it transpired that a few days before she passed away, she drew on a scrap of paper no larger than a couple of inches square a picture of a chair. The request was that he commission the making of a chair in memory of her for each of their three daughters, the design to be based around her picture and to carry the inscription I’ll always be here for you. It now becomes clear where the comfort in two ways comes in; it not only needs to give bodily comfort but spiritual comfort as well.

After two years searching for someone prepared to design and make the chair the client had all but given up, when a friend suggested he try me having seen my work at a local exhibition. And so it was that we came together to discuss the project, I was so moved by the story and his devotion to see it through that I could not understand why nobody had taken it up before. I agreed there and then to set out a design for his approval and subject to that approval make the chairs for him. All the while this had to be kept secret from the daughters.

I spent about three to four weeks juggling designs around on paper and pawing over numerous books, seeking inspiration for something that would meet the criteria given in that tiny scrap of paper. In the end having found nothing that fitted the bill I designed a chair from my own imagination that I thought not only looked right but equally important something I could make. The design, subject to one very minor change was accepted and we agreed that work would start as soon as existing commissions allowed.

Over the next few months I constructed the design prototype and as often happens what looks good on paper does not necessarily work in practice. A second prototype was constructed with a change to the front seat and leg bearer and this time it worked beautifully, the balance was there the proportion was right and most importantly it looked like the picture on that tiny scrap of paper. Happy with the prototype I endeavoured to contact the gentleman whom had placed the commission without success, knowing I was to be exhibiting at a wood show near to his home I wrote advising him of this and that I would take the chair with me to the show for his approval.

On the last day of the show a lady approached me and introduced herself as Caroline one of the three daughters of my client. It transpired that he had passed away quite suddenly a few weeks previous, she had found the design I had given him and the tiny scrap of a picture her mother had drawn amongst his papers and my letter had brought it all together for her. After hearing how it had all come about she was in no doubt that we should continue with the project. So it was that in May 2007 some fourteen months after that first meeting I handed over the three completed chairs as shown in the picture above.

My thanks must go to Caroline who had the faith in me to see her parents project through and also to my friend David who carried out the carving of the inscription on each chair for me. As you will see it now say’s We’ll instead of “I’ll always be here for you” in memory of both parents.