HomeStatementBiographyGalleryNewsContactLink
Home



To read more about the Art of Furniture, call,
e-mail or write to I.A.Keer


Back


1.

What makes I.A.Keer furniture special?

2.

What inspires your furniture work?

3.

Can you explain limited edition availability?

4.

Why is the style of your furniture collection diverse?

5.

What materials are used to create your furniture?

6.

Are the woods you use forest friendly?

7.

What are reconstructed veneers?

8.

Can limited edition designs be modified for my needs?

9.

Do you accept special Commissioned projects?

10.

Can you explain the process of creating your Furniture?

11.

What is the price range for a signature I.A.Keer design?

12.

How can I make a purchase?

13.

How is your furniture delivered and shipped?

14.

Can you answer additional questions?
HomeStatementBiographyGalleryNewsContactLink

 

   
 
 1.What makes I.A.Keer furniture special?

 

    Award winning works!
Sensational style!
Spirited design which enhances any interior!
Art that functions!
Exclusive limited editions!
Timeless character!
Recognized as personal favorites and treasured heirlooms!
Handcrafted to exacting standards!
Special attention to details!
Crafted with eco-friendly sustainable materials!

 

 
 2. What inspires your furniture work?

 

    My designs originate from the world around us, both past and present. I strive for originality drawing upon figures and styles from classic to pop culture. Each dramatic design, tells a tall tale and captures a special spirit. My work recalls a theme, then reflects it back. Like the Product mirrors Cleo and Napoleon which reinterpret characters and costumes of times long ago. American Pop culture is celebrated in the colorful and flamboyant caricature works of Lucy + Ricky. I also explore the realm of tradition, studying time honored elegance and classic proportion in furniture designs such as Daphy a winged armchair, or the commissioned Desk created for the Office of the Dean. Both fun and functional, the inspired works of this unique furniture will excite your imagination.

 

 
 3.Can you explain limited edition availability?

 

    Designed foremost as an expression of art, my functional furniture works are not intended for mass production. In order to enhance their collectible qualities and treasured value, each artful composition is lovingly handcrafted to exacting standards beyond which factory production can make sense. Offered only as one-of-a-kind commissions or limited edition series, each work is Artist signed and numbered, and includes a Certificate of Authenticity. The size of each furniture edition is the maximum number of units to be fabricated of any given design including all custom modifications. Most of my furniture is made to order, therefore all units of an edition are not built at one time, but over a period of years. The signed Certificate of Authenticity is my guarantee that the edition size will never be exceeded.

 

 
  4.Why is the style of your furniture collection diverse?

 

    Without commercial or manufacturing pressures, I am free to explore diverse thoughts and themes that challenge the boundaries of art, craft, and design. At first glance, my furniture collection seems visually diverse, ranging in styles from traditional to modern; and designed with bold compositions derived from architectonic and figurative sketches.

Yet a closer look reveals consistency of thought, detail and material which unifies the collection. Pure line and elegant form, create dramatic works of timeless character, no matter the style or theme. This eclectic furniture speaks of purpose and pure delight - - sure to become a personal favorite in any room.

 

 
 5. What materials are used to create your furniture?

 

    My furniture is built with a composition of hardwood solids, veneers, and plywood along with glass and metal. The solid woods are mostly maple, purpleheart and walnut. The beautifully patterned and figured woods are usually reconstructed veneers (see below) laminated to a birch multi-plywood core. All woods are oiled or stained to enhance the grain depth, then finished with a hand-rubbed lacquer top coat. And many of the works feature accent buttons, beads and accessories crafted from brass, bone, stone, fabric and rubber.

 

 
 6. Are the woods you use forest friendly?

 

    I carefully research all woods for use in my furniture collection. Harvested from managed forests with controlled cutting and sustainability programs, I select woods which are not considered rare or endangered.

My favorite eco-conscious woods, are reconstructed veneers which are manufactured from fast growing sustainable trees. These woods are harvested, then reconstructed and recut to replicate highly figured naturally growing exotics. Making beautiful veneer from ordinary sustainable wood lessens the commercial need for rare old-growth hardwoods. Other ecological benefits of recut veneers include, standard sheet sizes, and color and grain consistency throughout each veneer sheet. In addition, the yield of reconstructed veneer from one wood log is many times greater then standard veneer sliced from naturally grown solid lumber. With higher yields and lower waste, reconstructed veneers greatly reduce source utilization.

 

 
 7. What are reconstructed veneers?

 

    Made from fast growing sustainable hardwoods often considered kindling grade, Poplar, Obechie, and Koto trees are harvested then reconstructed to replicate exotic naturally growing woods. Cut tree logs are trimmed of branches and limbs, sawn to length, then rotary cut into equal sized veneer sheets which are vat dyed under heat and pressure, then stacked and glue laminated into reconstructed shaped blocks. The glue not only bonds, but by adding color, the glue enhances the veneer character. The molded stack laminated wood blocks are then recut in various ways to reveal figured and patterned veneer sheets ranging from outrageous to refined. Selected furniture works which feature reconstructed veneers include the mirrors Tux, and Cleo and Lucy.

 

 
 8. Can limited edition designs be modified for my needs?

 

    Yes! Most furniture works are handmade to order. Prior to fabrication, woods of different species, color or pattern can be interchanged within a design to accommodate your special needs. Modify a design to create a work with new character - - change from monochromatic and serious to poly-chromatic and playful. Opt for the options - - add, change or delete them. Examples of Products available with select design options include the art glass choices of Napoleon, or the clothes bar accessory of Like the Wind. Also, consider adding your corporate logo onto an available Product design. These are just a few of the possibilities, let's discuss yours.

 

 
 9. Do you accept special Commissioned projects?

 

    Yes! Commissions, may involve changes to listed Products or custom designed Special Projects. All options are welcome. Custom furniture work challenges me to explore and create new ideas within a defined set of goals. To inquire about a special order, share your project ideas for an Artist quote. With your inspiration and my magic, wonderful works can happen.

 

 
 10. Can you explain the process of creating your Furniture?

 

    My work begins as a design doodle. I create dozens of sketches each month. Only a handful are chosen for future study. These select designs are filed away, sometimes for a year or more. When the time comes to fabricate anew, I revisit these well aged ideas and select for development the best of the best - - time tested designs which have eclipsed mere fashion and trend.

The design development of each selected idea takes nearly 75 hours from sketch to built prototype. The sketch evolves to define all aspects of theming, detailing, materials, color and pattern. I build quarter scaled models to test and refine these ideas. Next, I create quality control specifications, and measured drawings for use as full scale fabrication templates. The design is engineered to be easy to build, though in limited edition. Each furniture work is expertly handmade through a spirited collaboration with select Minnesota craftsmen using the finest materials, thoughtful details and exacting standards. All wood furniture pieces are cut, edge profiled and carefully sanded into shape, then oiled, stained and finished with hand-rubbed lacquer, and fitted into a layered puzzle-like composition. Next I hand-craft and apply all ornamental accessories. Each completed furniture work is numbered, dated and authenticated with a Certificate and furniture attached Artist Signature Plate. Inventory is kept to a minimum, and most works are fabricated on a made to order basis. However, some select Products may be available for immediate purchase.

 

 
 11. What is the price range for a signature I.A.Keer design?

 

    My handcrafted furniture varies from several hundred U.S. dollars for limited edition Portrait Mirrors to several thousand U.S. dollars for larger dimensional works. Prices vary depending on materials, details, size and the number of units within an edition series. For a Price List of currently available Products, or a custom quote for your Special Projects, please Contact the Artist.

 

 
 12. How can I make a purchase?

 

    All furniture products can be purchased direct from the Artist. Contact me for a current Price List, color Brochure, and information regarding Product availability, Terms of Sale and Shipping. To help with your purchasing decision, a 4-color paper Brochure with high resolution images of all furniture Products highlights the quality of material, detail and craftsmanship not easily conveyed online. Also visit the Public Showings page for special announcements regarding places and events to see and purchase I.A.Keer furniture.

 

 
 13. How is your furniture delivered and shipped?

 

    Most all furniture works are handmade to order. Fabrication and delivery time is approximately 8-12 weeks from receipt of a purchase deposit, subject to work load, order size and availability of materials. Some Products maybe in-stock for immediate shipping. Commissions, custom work and Special Projects may require longer lead times.

To help ensure safe delivery, shipping crates are recommended and are available from the artist. All merchandise purchased artist direct, is sold from Minneapolis, Minnesota, and shipped fully insured and freight collect to be paid by addressee.

 

 
 14. Can you answer additional questions?
     Yes! Contact me with your special questions regarding The Art of Furniture.

 

    HomeStatementBiographyGalleryNewsContactLink