© 2011 www.gartfurniture.com © 2011 www.gartfurniture.com My inspiration to design Fine Art Furniture I remember as a child, examining furniture with great criticism. Whether it was the underside of an occasional table, the back of a cabinet pulled away from the wall, or a drawer pulled out of a dresser. Some pieces were assembled with hot glue and staples, some joints were gaping, or maybe there were areas where the wood was rough and hadn’t been sanded. The overall design of the piece was bold and simple, and it appeared as though it took little time to design.  Some of our furniture included an artsy stamped design, masquerading as fine furniture. Our furniture had its place; it was inexpensive and factory made, and it was functional! It served its purpose and was what my dad and mother could afford, as there were 12 children in my family. Not to mention, what sane parent is going to buy expensive furniture with 12 children in the house. However as a child, I didn’t see it from a practical perspective. I wasn’t being ungrateful for what my parents were providing, but I was only looking at it from a design perspective. To me it was offensive, and I spent many hours thinking about how I would design art furniture. All the joints would be clean and well fitted, the inside, backside and underside would be smooth sanded with a clear protective finish applied. The designs would be beautiful and detailed to perfection, so that even with close examination it would be pleasing to the eye. This interest I had as a child greatly affected the way I viewed art, and furniture. And even today, As the owner of Gallivan’s Art Furniture, also known as (gartfurniture.com), I love designing art furniture, with great variety and extreme detail. By combining intricate inlay, and using multiple kinds of exotic hardwoods and highly detailed hand carving, I give the viewer much to look at. I find few things in life more satisfying, than having completed a piece, after months and in one case years of work. To step back and think I took this from a design in my head, to rough-sawn lumber, to what it is today.  (Gallivan’s Art Furniture)