DAVID HAIG
Helen Gerry
Centre for Fine Woodworking Co-founder, Tutor, Mentor & Trustee
David Haig has been a full time furniture designer and maker for over 40 years. He works from a studio workshop at his home in Cable Bay, where he has lived with his family since 1980. He married his English girlfriend, Clare in 1977, and they have three sons and 6 grandchildren. He is strongly influenced by the intense beauty of his surroundings, and a Platonic philosophy that places a high value on connecting with creative archetypes. His work is an attempt to bring some of those qualities into the material world. He grew up in the UK. and moved to New Zealand to join his family here in 1976 after completing a BA in History from Oxford university, and retains a strong interest in politics, social and cultural interests. He has also taught extensively in design and wood construction both at the CFW here in Nelson and overseas for the past 20 years. He was awarded an MNZM for services to woodworking in the King's coronation honours list last year.
Monogram Rocking Chair English Sycamore
A Monogram rocker, the latest built by David Haig, in white English sycamore. The timber was milled and seasoned by David, from a tree grown in the Orinoco valley, a tributary off the Motueka river where in the deeply ravined sandstone valleys, sheltered from wind and with high rainfall and rich soils, grow the best sycamore timber he has found in 40 years. This rocking chair is one of just two that David has built this year, and now that he is approaching his 7th decade, he feels he is getting towards the last ones that he will be building. It is a design classic that has stood the test of time, and versions in various timbers, especially New Zealand grown English walnut, are now found all over the world, especially in the USA, the UK, and Australia. The National Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington, has one too in its permanent collection.
Bench Seat - Locally grown Red Oak 1159mm x700mm x 400mm
The bench in locally grown Red Oak, is a departure from David's usual style, and a response to a design brief for a bench for a classic Nelson house in the early Arts and Crafts style, with Art Nouveau flourishes. It attempts to harmonise a few simple curved elements in the horizontal plane within a frame of strongly tapered verticals. The Red oak was from a huge old tree milled off the property some five years ago, and stacked and seasoned out on the Hope plains at the foot of the Richmond hills. The owners have kindly donated the rest of the timber to the Centre for Fine Woodworking.