Jesse Shaw: Function of the Spiral

August 25, 2011 | Comments Off

Jesse Shaw’s Function of the Spiral exhibit at the Hall Gallery came to a close this past week with a reception and personal appearance by the furniture designer. Mr. Shaw, an MFA student in Furniture Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design, chose the mathematical and artistic concept of spiral and helical forms in his thesis research. Jesse’s investigation of these forms in nature has led him to the inclusion of five main themes in his furniture: Mobility, Flexibility, Spatial Organization, Structural Strength, and the Disbursement of Matter.

Prototypes and completed pieces adorned the lovely Hall Gallery. Jesse’s furniture displayed a unique approach to the design and implementation of such a complex natural form. Likewise, the craftsmanship showed great attention to detail and a care for the end-user experience. Jesse Shaw has also been instrumental for the SCAD Furniture Design Club this past year. His hard work as the Vice President and the efforts of other officers has helped to rebuild the FDC, making it an official SCAD-recognized club (read over previous blog entries to see what events/demos Jesse, Colin, and other officers created before graduating). Below is a small excerpt from Jesse’s bio:

Jesse Shaw is a furniture designer/maker who uses the foundation of traditional building methods to create contemporary designs. He received his bachelors at Green Mountain College where he focused on environmental studies. In 2006, Shaw completed his training in the art of traditional furniture building at the Center for Furniture Craftmanship.
After graduating, Shaw was awarded a full one year fellowship and residency, where he was able to learn from master craftsman from all parts of the world. He has since served as a faculty assistant at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and the Savannah College of Art and Design. In 2011, Shaw graduated with a MFA in Furniture Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Mr. Shaw has all kinds of other awards and achievements under his belt as well, including appearances at NeoCon and the Wharton Esherick Museum. Check out his website to get the full scoop

…… and check out the thumbnails below for more images of the Functions of the Spiral exhibit at the Hall Gallery.