NEOSHO, Mo. — Sprinkled throughout the rural Neosho home of Jack and Sallie Divine are several pieces of hand-made furniture.
Described as “funky” by the homeowners, they are only hints at the many creations that fill an upstairs bedroom overlooking the wooded acreage that surrounds the home; woods that are both an inspiration and an artistic resource.
“I constantly see odd-shaped pieces, branches, stumps and burls,” said Jack Divine. “They jump out at you if you are tuning in to the woods. If I am thinking of a bench, I draw out a rough design, seat first, and then look through my stash of sticks separated by size, stood on end in tubs stored in a large barn.”
Divine enjoys creating a variety of tables, benches, lamps and towel racks. He likes functional pieces but does not enjoy building traditional pieces.
“We have 110 acres with lots of woods,” said Divine. “The tornadoes and ice storms in recent years have provided an abundant supply of materials.”
Divine finds the work of Jon Brooks, of New Hampshire, inspiring. Brooks was traditionally trained in the art of building period furniture, then dramatically changed styles moving toward a more eclectic and whimsical fashion following a trip to Tasmania. His work is included in the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American Art.
“My original work of gluing up, carving, sanding and cutting wood into shapes has given way to finding original shapes in the woods and making only minimal changes,” Divine said. “The process of looking for sticks, burls, stumps and assembling them feels like the right thing to do. I like combining a slightly rustic look with a highly refined finishing process and sometimes a splash of color. Heavy, muscular forms of undisguised chunks of wood blend well with sprightly, playful shapes.”
Some of the small and less complex pieces are completed in six to eight hours. His larger furniture can often take as long as 30 hours to complete. His wife is the designer of the mosaic designs that appear on several of the furniture pieces. The pair incorporate tile from many different places: Mexico, Costa Rica, area flea markets and garage sales. They even incorporate store samples of tiling that has been discontinued. All tiles are hand-cut to create the designs.
“I think everybody has a creative side,” said Divine. “Maybe its mechanical things, or writing or quilting, or drawing, or sewing but I think its human nature to express it and the more you do the more creative you become.”
“I’ve always been a weekend woodworker,” he said. “Maybe it’s genetic. My dad worked in the timber in the western states. Working from plans and copying others’ designs is where I began. In recent years, less time in the real world and more time in the Ozark woods has led me to a different philosophy.”
“I hope my art work calls people to touch it, to use it, to be part of its natural origins.”
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