For a while I have had an idea about a display cabinet in my head that somehow would be floating. The challenge then was how to make that actually happen. I couldn’t have it on wires from the sky, so I came up with the idea of a framework to suspend it from. I like to put curves in my work, which is a result of working on boats, and so my frame work developed in my mind. I wanted to use two different types of wood to distinguish the two separate parts of the work.

You can draw plans on a piece of paper but it is not until you make it in full size, and it comes to life that you can tell if you got it right or not. You can be the judge of that. This piece is also my homage to two men who have been a great influence on my work.

In the early 1980’s, through the Guild of Woodworkers in Christchurch, I met a boatbuilder by the name of Lionel Jefcoate, who at the time had a boatbuilding business in Governors Bay. We became good friends and Lionel was something of a mentor to me. Sadly, Lionel passed away last year.

I was helping the family to sort out his timber, and they kindly gave me a little ash and walnut. I wanted to do something special with this wood, and I also had an exhibition coming up, and I had the idea of this display cabinet in my mind. The outer frame that holds up the small cabinet is made from walnut, while the cabinet is made from ash. It won the top woodworking award at the exhibition. I really enjoyed the freedom of creating a personal project.

The hinges are a type called knife hinges, made popular by famous American cabinet maker Jim Krenov. In fact, there is quite a bit of Krenov influence about the whole design. Like me he had a background as a boatbuilder, and liked to incorporate curves into his designs. His signature pieces were small cabinets on legs. I was lucky enough to meet him and attend a weekend workshop when he came to New Zealand many years ago.

Two men, both superb woodworkers, have influenced this piece.

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