This Sublime Woodwork by Anna Gregory Brought Me Back to my Childhood
One of my fondest memories from when I was a child was the day I went to work with my dad.
I would have been around eleven, and on a mid-term break from school when he asked me would I go with him the next day. I’d like to think I jumped at the chance to help him. But I probably replied something sulky like; “Yeah. I suppose. Whatever.”
My dad was an architect. Still is. We were going to survey a green field site where a new government building was to be constructed. My job for the day was to stand in various locations holding a red and white staff, while he recorded the site levels using a dumpy level. It only took a couple of hours of my skinny little legs stumbling around the rocky and wet field before we were done. It was pretty boring to be honest. It didn’t exactly inspire any notions in me to become an architect. But it was a great day. I just really enjoyed the two-hour road trip, being taken out for lunch, and spending time with my dad.
I think it’s because I love and respect my dad so much that I have some sort of underlying respect for all architects.
I didn’t even know Anna Gregory was an architect when her work grabbed me. Based in central Kentucky, she is a maker focused on furniture, interiors, and commissioned art pieces— with a masters in architecture to boot.
One day while perusing the explore tab on Instagram, one of her wall screens jumped out at me. Instantly clicking into her profile, I quickly grew to admire her small portfolio of sublime work.
I have a background in graphic design as well as woodworking. I assumed the way she used pattern and shape was speaking to my graphic design sense. Maybe it was. But I purely loved the fact that it was simple, refined and elegant.
It’s hard not to appreciate the beautiful simplicity and geometric patterns of her wall screens. She has mastered how to create these patterns in an elegant way using gorgeous hardwoods. The graphic designer in me admires them greatly.
In contrast, I’m not sure what part of me connects with the organic shapes of her tables and boards. But they are wonderful. Organic shapes are a very difficult thing to get right. I know this from experience. Anna uses a type of avocado shape for her tables that just beautifully complements the style of hairpin leg she uses.
Recently, I drove past the place where an eleven year old boy had once spent the day tripping over rocks and slipping on wet grass. It’s no longer a vacant, barren site. It is a simple, refined, and elegant building.
Architecture, like woodworking, is a subjective thing. We all have our own personal influences and tastes— and I know where mine came from.
You don’t need to have some sort of sentimental respect for architects to appreciate the work of Anna Gregory. Her work is top class and speaks for itself.
But if spending a day grazing my ankles on a rocky site contributed to my being able to appreciate it, then so be it.
To see more about Anna Gregory visit;
https://www.annagregorydesign.com
https://www.instagram.com/anna.gregory.design/
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