Author(s): Rupert Williamson

Design

Rupert Williamson is one of the foremost designer-craftsmen of furniture working today. Here, he surveys his work from 1962 up to date: his early education at High Wycombe and the Royal College of Art and the influences he absorbed. Dividing his work, mostly one-off pieces which he designed and made with the help of only one or two assistants, into the various themes or styles which have emerged, he explains in detail how his work evolves - developing from sketches, models, CAD, or a combination of these and the choice of materials and methods of construction. Illustrated throughout, a catalogue of his entire work is included, showing its extraordinary range. In all this gives a fascinating insight into the life and work of a furniture designer and maker of rare talent, supporting the view that his work bridges the division between crafts and art as his work moves towards sculptural forms. Contents: Foreword: Mary La Trobe-Bateman; Beginnings; New chairs from traditional sources; Albrizzi and Prescote; The evolution of armchairs; An organic bookcase and the development of naturalistic designs; Rock cabinets; Computer assisted design; Dining room furniture; Steambending and production work; A pied-a-terre in Edinburgh; A House in Oxford; A home in Marylebone; Experimenting with styles; The designer-maker; Acknowledgements; Complete catalogue 1966-2013; Selected exhibitions; Public commissions."