Art & Life with Roger Deatherage

Today we’d like to introduce you to Roger Deatherage.

Roger, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I’ve been around construction from the age of one. My grandfathers were both builder’s, one of homes and one from a line of boatbuilders. My mother and father built the house I grew up in, and aside from early education and a short stint in a garage band I’ve been building things all my life.

I was introduced to a way of life between my undergraduate and masters work that integrated living and working, family and business. It was an apprenticeship, exchanging room and board for daily labor and education. While furniture making was the main activity, cooking and gardening were also part of the deal. I sometimes worry that I may be the last apprentice. At the end of my term I received my first three carving tools and the use of a Fiat convertible for a week.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I design and build furniture for homes and private offices from the studio thirty feet from our home. My shop was built with the help of friends as a small barn raising on a Saturday. I built my wife’s studio on the same property. We both share a creative need which makes the long hours required quite a bit easier.

Although, I sometimes use other materials, my preference for building is solid domestic hardwood. I try to avoid exotic timbers, not only for environmental reasons, but because I prefer what I call “quiet furniture”. My own tastes are somewhat eclectic, ranging from the Scandinavian design of the fifties and sixties to Japanese architecture and tansu. From Scandinavia I take an appreciation of touch and ergonomics, and from Japan I have learned a bit about joinery, structure, and unadorned beauty.

For the most part I have always worked alone, producing individual pieces for specific clients and locations. The work is as varied as the clients although looking back, I still see a bit of me in all of it.

What responsibility, if any, do you think artists have to use their art to help alleviate problems faced by others? Has your art been affected by issues you’ve concerned about?
It has been interesting to me to see the changing definitions of ART and CRAFT over the years. In the past art was defined as the production of something beautiful and craft was art or skill with an implied use. Galleries that showed one would never show the other.

As a maker of things for use, I am competing with mass produced items often untouched by human hands. Touch is a major factor in the appeal of my furniture and not easily conveyed electronically or in pictures. As a result, I function within a very small and very local economy.

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I have never advertised or had gallery representation as it is imperative for me to get to know the person I’m designing for. Mary and I were included in a few invitational shows early on that provided a small client base. I am fortunate to have had many repeat clients/friends over the years, and their homes have become my showrooms. Word of mouth and longevity in the craft are huge factors as well. Work can be seen on my website and interested parties are welcome by appointment.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.finewoodeninteriors.com
• Phone: 713 818 3459
• Email: rdeatherage@mac.com

Image Credit:
All photos by Roger Deatherage except artist photo, taken by Mary Rogers.

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