100 ADK Chairs- a Craftsman's Journey

Farewell My Friends! (Just For Now...)

2012-01-07T14:03:00.000-08:00

I have painted my last painting, shipped my last Walden Walker and my final Shakerondack chair has been delivered. Seems I have come to the end of this phase of my creative endeavors.
Tough to make a living doing what you love. You can say that again. Tough to make a living doing what you love. So I am off in search of a "real job". Bummer. If anyone has any ideas or just wants to hand me a big tub of money please contact me at dirkleach@gmail.com. I'm not sure where my future lies. I am hopeful the creative muse will return. She seems to have abandoned me for the time being. Or I her.

Spring Sale!

2011-05-03T12:25:00.000-07:00

Four wonderful Weekender Chairs on sale. $250 each. These were previously used as floor displays at The Center For Maine Craft in Gardiner, Maine. As you can see they are in excellent condition. Call today (207) 351-6966 for a test drive!

Winter Craft Fair - Kennebunk

2010-10-14T13:58:00.000-07:00

The 35th Annual School Around Us Craft Fair will take place at Kennebunk High School on Saturday, November 13th from 9 to 3. I will have plenty of "Walden Walkers" walking sticks available as well as selected pieces from my "Shakerondack" furniture collection. It's all for a good cause, so come on down! Hope to see you there.!

Lisa's Chairs

2010-09-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

I am quite please with the way these chairs turned out. No paint here. Lisa prefers to let the premium, hand-selected white oak to shine through. Three applications of Watco's Exterior oil finish should provide protection against the against the severe ocean climate where they will reside. As with my painted chairs, I do recommend covering your Weekenders when not in use for extended periods. Customers have highly recommended the Adirondack chair covers available through Plow and Hearth. They fit and have an elastic drawstring to close them up tight.

Annual Bahhhn Sale

2010-09-26T09:07:00.001-07:00

My Annual Bahhhn Sale is now scheduled for November 20th and will be advertised far and wide in The Forecaster on the week before. You can expect to see several floor model Weeekender Chairs, Walden Walkers walking sticks, assorted rustic furniture as well as my rather large collection of gently used paperbacks. All will be sold at bargain basement prices. No reasonable offer will be refused. I must be crazy. Stay tuned for photos of inventory and updates as we get closer to November. Note: the two chairs shown are available for $295 each.

Home Again

2010-09-22T16:24:00.000-07:00

These two Weekender chairs have just returned from hard duty at the West Gardiner Service Plaza of the Maine Turnpike. Considering the use and abuse they've sustained over the past three months I am impressed and proud of their outstanding performance. They are still rock solid and look as good as they did on the day they were "born". Welcome home amazing chairs!

Upcoming Events

2010-08-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

In their July 2010 issue, Down East Magazine named us "Best Adirondack Chair Maker in Maine." And we've been working to fill orders non stop ever since. There's still plenty of summer left, so pick up the phone and place your order today. And remember, it's never to early to get a jump start on next summer. I'll be building Weekender chairs right through the winter. Now here's a word or two on some upcoming events:

I'll be at the Center For Maine Craft in Gardiner, Maine demonstrating rustic chair making on August 28 from 10-1pm. http://www.mainecrafts.org/ FMI.

I'll be selling my Walden Walkers Walking Sticks at the Labor Day Craft Show on September 4 from 9-2pm. http://www.mainecrafts.org/ FMI.

I'll be exhibiting by invitation at the Rustic Furniture Fair at the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake, NY on September 11 and 12. http://www.adirondackmuseum.org/ FMI.

Come on out and see us! Sit a spell and talk about the weather.

Break Time!

2010-07-25T12:18:00.000-07:00

How does that old saying go? "Sometimes I sit and think. And sometimes I just sit." Today I just sit.

Two For The Road

2010-06-22T17:48:00.000-07:00

Weekenders in "Apple Green" and "Clearest Ocean Blue" catching some rays before heading up to Gardiner, Maine on Friday, 6/22. They will be available for your relaxing pleasure at the Center For Maine Craft located at the Turnpike Service Plaza. Bring a beverage, bring your laptop. Take a test rest. Let me know what you think!

Works In Progress

2010-06-20T18:23:00.001-07:00

These two Weekenders are almost complete. Install seat slats. Cut and sand bungs. Final coats of finish. Then they will be ready for delivery to The Center For Maine Craft at the service plaza in Gardiner, off Maine Turnpike Exit 51. I would like to kindly invite you to stop by and say hello. They will be for sale, so if you fall in love while sitting, you can take them home and enjoy them on your own front porch or deck or dock or great room for that matter. Or if you would like a different color give me a call. I am forever building more, more, more.

Painting Chair Parts

2010-06-19T18:26:00.000-07:00

I just finished brushing on the 2nd coat for some 60 or so "Weekender" chair parts. Painting is one of those relaxing jobs where the mind is allowed to wander with minimal potential for drastic consequences. Have I painted my hand more than once? Sure. Spilled a whole quart of expensive paint? You bet. Tracked said expensive paint into the house? Absolutely. Still there's something so sweetly rewarding about being surrounded by a bundle of freshly painted chair parts. I know I am getting near the end of another craftsman's journey. I am close to completing another set of Weekender chairs. Soon somebody is going to have some of my Fresh Art on their lawn or patio. It doesn't get much better than this, does it?

Now Showing!

2010-06-18T16:49:00.001-07:00

"Iris" and "Crocus" will be appearing at Kennebunkport Arts gallery of fine craft in Dock Square beginning on June 19th. Stop by and check them out. Relax. Sit a spell and, if the spirit moves you, you can order two for yourself. Just give me a call to get the process started. (207) 351-6966.

Final Coat

2010-05-05T17:33:00.000-07:00

We have applied the final of three coats of Ben Moore's finest to Kay and Jim's Weekender Chairs. A couple of days to cure and we'll be ready for delivery. I think about all the good times and stories these chairs will witness over many Maine summers to come. It's been another great journey. Tomorrow we'll be starting a brand new project. I can hardly wait.

I'm fixing a hole where the rain gets in....

2010-04-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

There are 64 countersunk screws in each chair, and every single one of them will need to be plugged. It's a long job, but somebody's got to do it. It's the price I pay, the investment I make, to ensure my chairs are weather-tight. I start by cutting my own oak plugs on the drill press. A little dab of glue on each plug and we fill the hole. Once the glue is dry it's a matter of cutting away the excess plug and paring it flush to the surface with a sharp chisel. Now we're ready for final sanding and a coat of primer. We'll apply two coats of Ben Moore's finest exterior acrylic over the weekend. Then Kay and Jim's chairs will be ready for delivery. Just in time for early spring lounging.

Final Assembly

2010-04-16T13:20:00.000-07:00

It's always a good feeling when the pieces all fit! The seat planks require some minor adjustment. Then all will be screwed down tight, countersunk and plugged. The plugs will be cut flush and sanded. Then it will be off to the paint room for a coat of primer and two coats of Ben Moore's high quality exterior acrylic. By then we will have worked up quite a thirst. I can't wait to sit back in our completed Weekender Chair and enjoy the first lemonade of the year.

Island

2010-04-14T07:22:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like some "fresh art" to lift your spirits. This is a painting Jordan did on a 36" by 24" piece of hardboard. It's called "Island". Jordan is my alter ego. He puts my left over chair paint to good use. Trouble is he's always getting under foot. I'm trying to get these chairs built but he keeps hogging my shop with his "fresh art".

Making Chair Parts

2010-04-10T17:47:00.001-07:00

The last couple of days I have been making chair parts. I sort through my milled oak looking for appropriate sizes to fashion the chair's foundation: legs, arms and braces. The parts are cut using a combination of freehand band saw work and miter saw. The miter saw helps me to cut the many precise angles called for in the design. Once the parts are cut and sanded, I "dry fit" the pieces to make sure everything lines up. So far luck is on my side. We have tight fitting joints all around. Tomorrow we head into the assembly phase.

Milling

2010-04-08T05:04:00.000-07:00

Once I've determined how much lumber I'll be needing, I cut the 8' long boards to approximate length and head to the Jointer. This is where the milling operation starts. Our goal is to get our rough oak boards flat, square and uniform in thickness. The Jointer will yield stock that is flat on one face and one edge, and those sides come together at a perfect 90 degree angle. I then run the jointed boards through the planer flat face down. This will give me boards with two flat faces parallel to one another and square to the jointed edge. I will then rip these boards to finished width and clean up the edge on the jointer. Now that I have my oak flat and square, we're ready to make chair parts!

Watch Me Build!

2010-04-07T05:01:00.001-07:00

We started a new project last weekend. Two custom chairs for Kay and Jim. I've had many folks ask me about the whole process, so I thought it would be fun to blog as I build. You can come along if you'd like. Kay and Jim wanted me to replicate a set of their favorite Adirondacks. The originals, built by a local carpenter had provided years of service but had started to breakdown.

Inevitably water finds it's way into screw holes and the wood starts to rot. I hope to rectify the problem with improved joinery techniques and by using a fine water-tight hardwood: white oak. The process begins with a plan. I took measurements of all the chair components and recorded the back angle and seat slope. Then it was off to my wood pile to select and mill our boards.

For this project I will be using 5/4 stock, rough sawn and will mill it to a thickness of 1" for the frame components. I have also have 4/4 stock to be milled to 3/4" for the seat and back slats.

"Catch A Wave

2010-03-26T06:43:00.000-07:00

and you're sittin' on top of the world..." Love that old Beach Boys song. Here's one of my latest designs. I call it "The Wave". It's got the same comfortable pitch as my Weekender chair but with a bit more flair. As I write, we have 30 degrees of Fahrenheit, with wind chills in the low 20's. Welcome to spring in Maine. But it won't be long now. Summer's on the way. The folks will be opening up their cottages and returning to the beaches. The surf will indeed be up and you'll be sitting on top of your world. Catch a Wave chair today and you can enjoy summer all year long.

Paint It Black

2010-03-22T07:09:00.000-07:00

I made these chairs for Rob Henry. He has has a camp on Peak's Island in Casco Bay. He was pretty cool about the design, giving me full artistic control except for the color. "I don't care what they look like but I need to have them painted black." You know what they say about the customer always being right. I think in this case, Rob hit a home run.

Springs Green

2010-03-14T12:16:00.001-07:00

Nature's first green is a wonderful hue. With the first day of spring now only a week or so away, I am already seeing some flowers pushing up through the leaves in our garden. Of course in Maine we are about to enter Mud season. But that's ok, for out of the brown muck always springs glorious green.

Grace in Pistachio

2010-02-22T10:46:00.000-08:00

Another custom order for a set of "Grace" chairs yields this delicious beauty. The matching chair is a light coral. Very tasty. They should look fantastic together as they grace my client's garden path.

2010 Preliminary Event Schedule

2010-02-19T05:40:00.000-08:00

I've been putting together my 2010 events calendar for publication to my website. Here's what we have planned thus far:

July 9-13 at the Woodlanders Gathering, Mineral Point Wisconsin. Alan Bradstreet and I will be demonstrating the fine art of walking stick creation and rustic joinery techniques.

August 28th from 10-2 at the Center For Maine Craft in Gardiner. I will demonstrate rustic chair making from design to seat weaving. I will have chairs on display and for sale throughout the summer so stop by! It's a great place to visit and shop.

Labor Day Weekend. Director's Choice Craft Show at the Center For Maine Crafts. The first of what promises to be one of the regions best shows. Enjoy early bird Holiday shopping in a festive atmosphere.

September 11-12 at the 23rd Annual Rustic Furniture Fair at the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake. The premier show for quality rustic furnishings. Not to be missed.

We are now finalizing plans for other shows. So visit my site early and often for the latest news.

Certain Blue

2010-02-16T16:16:00.000-08:00

Another "digital interlude" finds me at the computer with Photoshop CS4 and a couple of billion pixels. I define myself as a "Rustic". To me this entails so much more than furniture making or carving walking sticks. The Rustic mindset celebrates inventiveness and imagineering with materials available at hand; be they wood, found objects, paint or pixels. Rustic making is just good old Yankee tinkering. Mostly you fail, but occasionally you follow that spark to something great. Life is short make art.

Reitveld Rustic

2010-02-13T07:05:00.000-08:00

Or Reitveld Adirondack. One wonders if the dutch designer used the Westport chair as inspiration for his Red and Blue Chair from c.1923. In any event it's all good. Re-interpretations and re-inventions happen all the time. It's the role of the tinkerer, the Yankee tradesman to borrow whatever isn't in his tool bag to get the job done. With my humble heartfelt thanks to all the great designers who came before me, I give you Reitveld Rustic. With a shelf for books!

Rock On!

2010-02-12T14:51:00.000-08:00

I took some time out from Adirondack chair making this past week to fulfill a customer request for a rustic rocking chair. The Chesuncook rocker design dates back to the late 1990's but it still looks sharp today. Sugar maple saplings are joined using pinned mortise and tenon joints. The back slats are white ash and the rockers are red oak. I have woven the seat using 100% cotton shaker tape. I'd be happy to make one for you!

Back To Back Homeruns

2010-02-09T05:05:00.000-08:00

Spring is right around the corner and I'm already looking forward to Spring Training. For me that entails breaking down my machinery, cleaning and lubricating all the moving parts. Sharpening all cutting edges. Cleaning all dust collection air filters. Inventorying shop supplies like sandpaper, fasteners and finishes. Getting out the shop vac. Fine tuning my maker's eye and hands. Getting it all together for another big season ahead. Getting ready to strike out the competition and hit many home runs for my customers.

Digital Imaging

2010-02-09T04:53:00.000-08:00

All work and no play makes Dirk a dull boy. I like to take time out from woodworking and head to the Adobe CS4 suite to mess around. This is called "jungle_work". It's meant to be really big so click on the image to get a better impact statement. The great thing about digital imaging is the ease with which you can change or redraw something. The manipulations and permutations are endless. It's like an endless banquet, a delightful feast. Why not take a byte?

Still Crazy About These Chairs!

2010-02-06T17:32:00.001-08:00

I'm still nuts about my Nor'easter chairs. I have built a dozen of these over the past year and I never tire of the challenge. They look deceptively simple but the compound angle cuts really push my woodworking ability to another level. I've a customer up the coast who has six lined up on his spit of front lawn overlooking the Atlantic. They are painted in various shades of blue and green. One is coral. Another deep purple. They look like land yachts plowing the wind tossed turf. I have been sketching variations of the Nor'easter and plan on releasing a spirited new version later this summer. Until then here's to smooth sailing.

Super Bowl Party

2010-02-06T14:14:00.000-08:00

I'm having a Super Bowl Party and I've set up eight of my Weekender chairs in my Man Cave. Each chair is roomy enough to hold not only some super-sized fans but the super wide arms will hold plenty chips, dips, chicken wings, barbecue ribs, those little hot dogs in mustard sauce, pizzas and lots of ice cold beverages. I am psyched to see the Who perform at half-time, the crazy commercials and of course the Saints win. Who Dat?

Think Pink

2010-01-31T10:40:00.001-08:00

I'm seeing pink. Pink is bubble gum, Bermuda sand, a bunny's nose, the perfect sunset. It's also my 5 year old neighbor Ava's favorite color. It makes an excellent custom color for one of my Weekender chairs. Pink is festive, fun and magical. Next time your trying on colors for your home or garden think pink.

Product Testing - Brrrrrrrrrr!

2010-01-29T08:02:00.000-08:00

This is the third winter spent outdoors for "Karl". I name all my test chairs. Karl is made from weather tight white oak and protected with three coats of Benjamin Moore's finest grade of exterior house paint. Bunged stainless steel screws are used as fasteners. Only spring will tell, but I must say, in previous years, Karl has passed my winter endurance test with flying colors. If my chairs can survive the worst weather Maine winters can throw at them, imagine how well they'll hold up for you all summer long.

Attack Cat!

2010-01-25T07:17:00.000-08:00

Here is Grace, my trusty workshop companion. When she's not helping me build chairs, she spends her time defending her turf against rodents, small children and those feral cats from next door. Her ferocity is well known in these parts. Her friendship and loyalty are firm and never ending.

Order Your Spring Chairs Now!

2010-01-23T08:39:00.001-08:00

I recently received an order for 6 more Weekender chairs due May 1, 2010. I only have 12 production "slots" remaining in my Spring 2010 schedule. If you want your chairs by early May, I kindly encourage you to place your order soon. A fully refundable 30% deposit is all I require to "slot" your chairs. I love thinking about Spring in January. I can almost smell it in the air. It smells a bit like the white oak I'm shaping out in my workshop.

Back To Work

2010-01-19T08:35:00.000-08:00

I am just about finished with a new batch of chairs. This one still needs seat planks and finish. The customer has requested the natural look so I will use Waterlox tung oil varnish to give the wood a warm luster and some protection from the elements. The wood is white oak, cherished for it's strength and water tight capabilities. These chairs will give the customer years of good use and, I hope, will be treasured and passed along to the next generation.

Digital Digressions

2010-01-18T07:04:00.001-08:00

This one is called "sunday_drive". Click on the image to make it pop. I think half the fun of producing abstract artwork is the ability to name them anything you want. At the moment I completed this image I was thinking about a time in my life when I'd just had to get out and drive. Physical speed. It's just what I need.

Digital Imaging

2010-01-17T16:25:00.000-08:00

This is called "charmed_life". I started with a 32" by 48" painting I did on Masonite called "Mass Pike". Then I took a digital photograph of the painting. At the computer, using Photoshop, I manipulated the image through the use of filters and blending modes. Add a little noise on the back end and voila! Painting with pixels. Click on image to enlarge and get a sense of it's printed proportions.

Weekender Chair Indoors!

2010-01-17T12:15:00.000-08:00

Bring the outdoors in. A Weekender chair can be a very useful and comfortable companion when brought indoors. Here it supports my wife and her laptop at a very relaxing height. The natural cherry looks quite handsome in our house and lends an informal, warm feel to the whole living room. I have noticed a trend of bringing the outdoors inside and vice versa over the past decade or so. The resurgent interest in rustic arts is spreading, with designers and decorators adding camp items to their clients' homes, cabins and cottages. Rustic Chic works well in many interior environments where an eclectic mix is preferred. Blending old and new, formal and informal works for folks who in Thoreau's words, "love a broad margin to [their] lives".

Floor Samples Sale!

2010-01-16T07:38:00.000-08:00

I have a collection of 8 floor samples and prototypes. They are all in excellent condition. I am trying to find good homes for them. There's nothing my Weekender chairs love more than serving you, our valued customers. I am willing to play let's make a deal. each chair comes with paint for touch ups or fresh coat. If you are one of the first callers I will throw in one of my famous and no longer available Walden Walkers walking sticks. I must be crazy! Call today (207) 351-6966.

No Competition

2010-01-15T05:27:00.000-08:00

Here we have my Weekender chair on the left and Brand X on the right. If you want a chair that develops a bad case of the wobbles, practically seats you on the ground and is guaranteed to fall apart in a couple of years, then buy Brand X. It kills me that a company so obsessed with "quality" would sell such a crappy product. If on the other hand you want a chair that's rock solid, whose seat and back angles provide for easy egress, and will be passed along to the next generation, then I humbly suggest you buy my Weekender chair. Our "quality" is not just a convenient catch phrase. Call today, operators are standing by... (207) 351-6966.

Best Adirondack On The Planet! - Only $375 !

2010-01-15T05:08:00.001-08:00

I still have a few slots available in my Spring 2010 build schedule. If you call today I can guarantee late April delivery. Just in time to open up the camp. Imagine, if you will, relaxing in your brand new Weekender chairs after a long day of spring cleaning. You and your special one(s). You sit back and look around you. It's time to appreciate all you've worked so hard for. Contentment fills your heart as the early Spring sunset fills your eyes. Call today to place your order (207) 351-6966.

Winter Interlude

2010-01-14T18:00:00.000-08:00

I am back at the digital easel. Taking a break at the computer while the shop warms up. January is half-way gone. In February, I can almost see the end of another long winter. It's that white light at the end of a very long tunnel. I am looking at "Winter Interlude" and thinking some of those patches of strange light would make great chair colors. Well, enjoy. Click on the image to reap the full effect. It's like a big colorful wool blanket. Meanwhile I'll head back to the sawdust and wood chips!

Back to Back

2010-01-14T05:45:00.000-08:00

This is still one of my favorite photos taken last summer. Back to back Weekender chairs. I got a note from the owner over the holidays saying she had put them away for the summer but decided they were much to handsome for the garage and placed them in her family room to weather the long Maine winter. Add a couple of cushions, and she says they are the most comfortable chairs in her house. If she feels those winter blues coming on all she has to do is sit in her Weekender chair and scenes of summer come shining back. Won't be long now Lauren, spring is right around the corner!

Baby Blues

2010-01-13T14:19:00.000-08:00

I have been experimenting with changing the back profile as well as the shape of the back leg. The angle of the seat to the back is perfect. I won't mess with that. I am also changing the shape of the arm for 2010. It's still going to be a full 8" wide where it matters. As I've discovered many of my customers use the arms to hold their laptop computers. Try that with your average Adirondack chair. Tomorrow I will compare my chair with the competition. As you will see there is no comparison. Sure they beat me on price -- $200 vs. $375 for my Weekender, but then again what would you rather be driving, a Yugo (remember those?) or a BMW. For guaranteed quality there is just no comparison. Go with a Weekender. You can pass them along to the next generation.

In The Beginning...

2010-01-13T07:33:00.000-08:00

In the beginning there was the Westport chair. Designed by Thomas Lee at his shop on Lake Champlain around 1905. It is considered the great grand daddy of today's Adirondack chairs. Today I am building my Weekender chairs with the same spirit. Lee was a tinkerer.

He would come up with a design he liked and had members of his family give him feedback until he got the angles just right. My chairs were designed in much the same way with a keen ear to customer needs and wants. I have come up some changes to the Westport design in order to fit the 21st century American body. We aren't getting any thinner are we? But I think you'll agree the Westport and the Weekender are indeed kindred spirits.

Certain Blue

2010-01-12T10:04:00.001-08:00

I take a break from chair making to make some fresh art. This is called "Certain Blue". I photographed a painting I had done last summer then used Photoshop CS4 to manipulate the image. It's like painting as you get to create layer upon layer digitally then "flatten" all layers into a single image. Best part is there is no mess. I can store it on my thumb drive or produce a 1200 x 2400 giclee print. I think it would look awesome hanging on your wall with one of my chairs below it.

Millin' and Chillin'

2010-01-12T05:16:00.000-08:00

I am in the process of building 10 chairs and have milled about 200 ft of white oak for starters. Next step will be to glue up the wide panels needed for the arms and legs. At this point I start spreading the work out, so there's always something different to work on. That way I remove the "factory work" aspect and it makes the whole process much nicer. A happy woodworker is a productive woodworker. I have some chair parts ready for final sanding. My sanding area is unheated. That's where the "chillin" comes in. I like the lemon-lime color of this Weekender chair. Makes me think of a tall cool beverage on a hot summer day.

Free Delivery!

2010-01-11T07:12:00.000-08:00

My GMC "Big Red"is gassed up ready to roll to your home, camp or cottage. I am offering free shipping to any location in New England. From Caribou Maine to Darien, Connecticut, from Nantucket, Mass to Burlington, Vermont I am offering free shipping on all orders received through February 28, 2010. I must be crazy. No, it's just there's nothing better than a nice road trip to shake off the ol' winter blues!

So Many Books So Little Time

2010-01-11T06:36:00.000-08:00

Thoreau had the right idea. Build a cabin in the woods, plant some beans, have lunch at Mrs. Emerson's and take the rest of the day for yourself. I'd spend my time reading. Grab my latest "book stack", for I always have 4 or 5 books going at a time, set out my favorite chair and have right at it. I build my Weekender chairs for all you bookworms out there. Plenty of room on the arms for your "stack" and a beverage. So what's stopping you. Call in well. Set out on your own armchair voyage. We've so many books and so little time.

Sweet Summer Dreams

2010-01-09T07:32:00.000-08:00

There's nothing so nice as hanging out with friends on a nice summer day. Plenty of food and beverages and good conversation. At camp we've six of my Weekender chairs arranged on the back deck overlooking Bonnie Eagle Pond in Standish. The party boats meander round the Pond while the jet skis rev and bolt like wild horses. It's all good. It's nice to think of those times on a cold winter's night. I'll sit in one of my chairs out in the shop and close my eyes. Soon it is summer again if only in my mind. I swear I can here the boat's wake lapping at the dock and the quiet murmur of conversations past. My chairs are little time machines.

Color Your World!

2010-01-08T15:56:00.000-08:00

Customers picked some pretty awesome colors last summer. From "Prairie Grass" to "Warm Earth",

"Watertown" to "Chic Lime", the combinations have been amazing. I already have my color fan decks out dreaming of what will be big in 2010. I can't wait to see. Right now the landscape is full of dirty whites and pale grays and the temps are hovering around 20 degrees of Fahrenheit. It's warm as toast in my workshop as I work on next summer's inventory. I invite you to start looking ahead to opening up your camp. Those fine spring days are right around the corner. Head on down to your Benjamin Moore retailer and immerse yourself in all those wonderful colors. Now imagine your deck with four or six weekender chairs painted in your special colors. Call now and I can make your dreams a reality. I am offering special pricing on 4 or more chairs. Call today for details. In the meantime have a colorful winter! (207) 351-6966.

21st Century Woodworker!

2010-01-04T07:18:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to say I have entered the 21st century by dropping my land line.

My only phone contact now is my cell (207) 351-6966. Call early, call often.

Wow, next thing you know we'll be wearing jet packs! And sawing wood with laser beams.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T08:34:00.000-08:00

This chair represents the final refinements to my Weekender Chair design for 2009. By developing time saving techniques I was able to lower your cost to $375 without sacrificing quality. It is still the finest Adirondack design on the market today, promising ten times the longevity of her nearest competitor (from that big Freeport retailer). I will be using this chair as a platform for launching new adventures in chair-making for 2010. Please stay tuned... Here's wishing you and yours a fabulous, healthy and prosperous New Year!

That Summer Feeling!

2009-12-30T16:57:00.001-08:00

I have started building chairs for the Summer of 2010!

It's great because while the thermometer is reading just 8 degrees of Fahrenheit, I am enjoying lawn parties in my mind. That's the great gift of the Adirondack chair. Just sit in one of mine and you'll be transported to a warm sunny place. If only in your dreams. Hey look at it this way: only four months to go before we open up our camp. The time to place your chair orders is now.

It's easy, just give me a call (207) 351-6966. I'll be out in the shop catching some rays.

kindred_spirits

2009-12-22T13:13:00.000-08:00

I am happy to say these two fine Weekender chairs found good homes just before the snow started to fly. Thank you Linda and Adrienne! I am looking forward to building more this winter. I can't wait to pick out the colors. The white oak has been purchased and is now seasoning in my barn. Once the holidays are behind us I expect to be right out straight. Let the machinery sing and the wood chips fly. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

o_tannenbaum

2009-12-22T05:47:00.001-08:00

Hey! I completed my first semester at art school with flying colors (pun intended). The image to the right is a
"filtered" and "blended" image of the christmas tree on our front porch. Just one of the many techniques I learned this past fall in digital imaging. I also wrote a website and learned to draw from the right side of my brain.

With only four days left before Christmas, I'd like to take a moment to say thanks to all of my fantastic customers. You make doing what I do possible and I appreciate your patronage. I hope to have a whole new crop of "fresh art" for your enjoyment in 2010. Merry Christmas and best wishes for a healthy and prosperous New Year!

killing_frost

2009-11-23T13:15:00.000-08:00

taking the trash out thursday am i noticed these leaves in our driveway. i went and grabbed my camera.

leaving_october

2009-11-10T16:51:00.001-08:00

halfway into november, i realize i haven't really finished with october.

light_wave

2009-10-30T13:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's just fun to paint with light.

Sweet Cherry Chair

2009-10-25T18:56:00.001-07:00

Come see this sweet cherry Weekender chair at the 1st Annual Fresh Art Show and Sale happening November 20-22, 2009 at the Olde White Church, 15 Salmon Falls Road, Bar Mills, ME. I along with fellow artists Jane Ryan, Nina Fuller and Liz Patterson invite you to attend the very tasty opening reception on Friday afternoon from 3 to 7pm. I am hoping to coax my wife into making several dozen of her very outstanding (and low fat. not.) peanut butter cookies for this momentous occasion. There will also be plenty of fresh art to view and to purchase. With something for every budget, this festive event will be a great place to start your holiday shopping. Hope to see you there!

Things that go bump in the night.

2009-10-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

These are some real scary chairs. I wouldn't want to run into them on a dark October night. They've been known to feed on animals and small children. They haunt the back porches of summer's past. They miss the great conversations and comfort of a warm August night. They bemoan the fact that winter is just around the corner. They wonder if their human keepers will remember to bring them in for the season or leave them stranded and forgotten on a deserted dock somewhere as the first snowflakes begin to fall. Oh the horror!

Trick or Treat?

2009-10-22T19:40:00.000-07:00

My Weekender chairs become a spooky treat for the eyes when passed through the creepy "neon glow" filter of photoshop. Looks like the ghosts of Summer '09 have come back to sit a bit. Scary stuff.

art_i_choke

2009-10-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

now learning photoshop cs4. this software is used mostly for making stupid ads. in fact most print and digital media ads you see today have been photoshopped. i am discovering a far better use for this powerful software tool: making art. I am just learning to crawl. so bear with me.
"art-i-choke" is my first digital sketch. the great thing about "painting" with cs4 is you can splash color all over the "canvas" and there's no messy cleanup afterwards. sweet.

Fresh Art Show At The Old White Church

2009-10-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

November 20, 21 and 22 I will be participating in the first annual Art and Furniture Show and Sale at the Old White Church at 15 Salmon Falls Road, Bar Mills Maine. You can go to the sacorivergrange.org website for more info. Come to the opening reception on Friday afternoon and get a tour of my workshop/studio across the street. I will have furniture from all phases of my career rustic through contemporary and of course plenty of my "fresh art" for sale. Spread the word! See you there!

Going Green

2009-09-27T08:35:00.000-07:00

"Going Green 's a convenient catch phrase. Ethanol is made of smoke and mirrors. Who decides to feed the tanks and not the mouths. When the wheels don't move...." -- Son Volt from their outstanding new album "American Central Dust". I am now painting with pixels and my art resides in cyberspace as just so many zeros and ones. When I make something of note I will have big giclee prints made. In the meantime feel free to browse.

New Media

2009-09-23T18:22:00.001-07:00

This is a drawing I did using Adobe. It's much cooler blown up to it's true size. Amazing tool. I call this "The United States Of Chaos". Notice California is barely hanging on. The East is a muddy mess. The only places with any promise are the Rockies and the Great Southwest. New England doesn't exist. Global climate change has sunk Florida.

Summer's End

2009-09-20T18:48:00.000-07:00

Summer's End is upon us. I want to thank all my clients for another successful year in the chair business. I have listened to all your ideas and plan to incorporate your suggestions into my designs this winter. Have a great fall and we'll talk to you again real soon!

Summer's End Barn Sale Directions

2009-09-03T17:18:00.000-07:00

Your destination is "18 Salmon Falls Road Buxton ME" Yellow House with attached barn across the street from the Old White Church. Google Map it! Please note there is a Salmon Falls Road in Hollis, the next town over. That road has a golf course on it. If you see a golf course you are on the wrong side of the Saco River. We are across the river from the golf course. Tiger Woods could hit our barn from the first tee. But you will want to use the bridge. Park in the church parking lot. Happy trails!

Summer's End Barn Sale Details #5

2009-09-03T06:56:00.000-07:00

Come on down and just sit around. It's looking like we're going to have some fine weather on Saturday. We'll be open from 9 to 3 pm. Park in the church parking lot across the street. If you've been thinking about buying a Weekender Chair now is the time to get a great deal. You can go to that big Freeport retailer and buy a crappy chair for around $200 or you can spend just a wee bit more and find REAL quality at 18 Salmon Falls Road Bar Mills, Maine. See you soon!

Summer's End Barn Sale Details #4

2009-08-31T14:10:00.001-07:00

Two more paintings by Jordan Leach will be available at Saturday's barn Sale. "Busy Bodies" and "Haunted" measure 48" by 33". Big, bold and colorful. And a bargain at $100 each. 20 of Jordan's paintings will be on display and for sale. See you all on Saturday at 9 am! Weather promises to be perfect.

Summer's End Barn Sale Details #3

2009-08-30T16:32:00.001-07:00

Sit back and enjoy a good book. There's still plenty of outdoors backyard down time left. So relax and kick back. I have hundreds of gently used paperbacks, many of them bestsellers in the mystery/thriller genre that originally sold at $8 and $9 a pop. They will be going for $2 a book or $5 for three at my Summer's End Barn Sale. Save the date: September 5th, 2009 from 9 to 3 at 18 Salmon Falls Road, Bar Mills, Maine. See you soon!

Summer's End Barn Sale Details #2

2009-08-29T09:04:00.001-07:00

I will have a limited number of my Walden Walkers rock maple walking sticks available in the $1 to $10 price range. Pick a stick and Take A Hike! See you on September 5th. Scroll down to see more items that will be available to see and to buy at my Barn Sale.

Also, I will have over 500 gently used paperbacks, many in the mystery/thriller category but also non-fiction and contemporary fiction trade paperbacks. Price will be $2 each or 3 for $5.00. Such a deal.

The Summer's End Barn Sale will be located at my workshop/studio located on the Saco River in Bar Mills Maine. From Gorham follow 202 to 4A in Buxton. Turn Right. Salmon Falls Road is left off 4A. We are at 18 Salmon Falls Road. First house on left. Yellow with attached Barn.

September 5th Barn Sale Details #1

2009-08-28T07:05:00.000-07:00

Looking for a good home! I have Weekender chairs available in the $250 price range. These are floor samples, prototypes and studies. All are in great shape after a summer spent in the great outdoors. So come on down to my Summer's End Barn Sale on September 5th and take one (or all) home.

Summer's End Barn Sale

2009-08-24T14:48:00.001-07:00

Planning is almost complete for my "Summer's End Barn Sale", now scheduled for Saturday September 5th (Labor Day Weekend) at my workshop in Bar Mills. Email me for details and directions: shakerondack@dirkleach.com. Stay tuned to my blog page as I upload more photos of what will be available, like the two Weekender chairs shown above for instance, or the Fresh Artwork below.

Fresh Art

2009-08-21T12:38:00.001-07:00

"Island" and "Scenic Overlook" were completed this week. Both measure 48" wide by 32" tall.

I use fine exterior house paint on Masonite panels. "Island" is available. "Scenic Overlook" is now in a private collection. See more at my Wicked Huge Barn Sale on September 5th.

PYO Art

2009-08-19T10:19:00.001-07:00

Fresh vegetables for the body. Fresh art for the soul. This is the sign outside the workshop. It means the artist, Jordan, is available for "art talk" and a tour of his other works. His paintings generally are in the $100 to $250 price range. Of course they are cheaper by the bushel.

Fresh Art For Sale

2009-08-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

Here are three more paintings recently completed. From top to bottom they are: "Cathedral", "Fifteen Yellow Houses With Brown Porches Stuck In The Middle Of Nowhere", and "Venice".

Each is painted on Masonite measuring 48" wide by 33" tall. The plan is to find a good print maker and have these scanned and reproduced using high quality inks. The prints and originals will be available for sale at my "Wicked Huge Barn Sale" on September 5. Hope to see you there.

Uptown

2009-08-04T11:45:00.001-07:00

I guess I cannot get away from my love of maps. Those images invade my painting. I used to sell maps for Delorme, publisher's of the iconic Maine Atlas and Gazetteer. I'd be on the road selling store to store. At the end of the day I'd land in some town, find a cheap motel and settle in for the evening. I always grabbed a couple of maps off my van to study before bedtime. Explore the lay of the land around me, plan my route for the next day, see where all those lines go. Drive down the back roads in my mind's eye.

Implode

2009-08-03T17:34:00.000-07:00

The dark side of Jordan comes through in this haunting image of the final days. Cities fall under the weight of their own self importance. Twisted steel and broken glass under a blood red sky.

August Promotion!

2009-08-02T11:48:00.000-07:00

I am offering free shipping on your order of two or more Weekender Chairs (within a 100 mile radius of Bar Mills, ME 04004). There's still plenty of Maine summer to enjoy. So pick up the phone or send an email to place your order today and have your handcrafted, totally awesome Weekender Chairs delivered just in time for all your midsummer's festivities.

Masspike

2009-07-26T08:05:00.001-07:00

This is near where the Mass Pike goes under the Pru Center. In my mind's eye of course.

Street Life

2009-07-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

I recently returned to Maine from a quick trip to suburban Boston. I can only take that area in small doses. The traffic and streets and people living on top of each other. The woods made into developments. Intersecting streets with endless lights and everyone bumper to bumper with glaring faces. Noise, disorder and discord. And grinding, grating colors. Here's the impression that I get.

Link To The Press Herald Article

2009-07-20T05:01:00.000-07:00

If you missed the article on DIY Adirondacks in the Sunday Maine Telegram a couple of weeks ago you can still read it. Just click on the link below:

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=263012&ac=Home

Baggage

2009-07-19T17:11:00.000-07:00

I've been getting off track. Losing myself in the painting. This one is called "Baggage". Now I'm getting ready to go back to creating some new chair designs. I think the paintings are like push ups for my creative mind. I am stretching the muscles that drive my imagineering. I've taken my Weekender chair design as far as it will go. I'm happy to build more to meet customer demand. But I am already sketching what's next. Something a bit more contemporary and where comfort and quality construction are still key. Stay tuned. The momentum is building.

Innards

2009-07-19T16:57:00.001-07:00

This is my take on our inner topography. Guts, heart, liver, kidney intestines, major arteries. It's all there somewhere. Not sure what the green stuff is. Maybe bile. Maybe this is the insides of a lobster and the green stuff is the tamale. I'd like a nice big lobster roll right about now. Lots of mayo and a little celery on a fresh white bun. Wicked good.

Art or Adobe?

2009-07-19T07:43:00.000-07:00

I used Adobe Photo Shop to manipulate my "Donkey Boy" painting and this is the result. It is a "crystallized" version created by the computer with a few simple keystrokes. I find it delightful and very satisfying to play with this new tool. This is what they call "New Media" or "Digital Media". Call it another great way to make art.

Big Doings In Buxton, Maine

2009-07-18T05:15:00.000-07:00

I will have a booth at Buxton Community Days next Saturday (7/25) from 10 to 3 on the lawn at Tory Hill Meeting House at the junction of Routes 202 and 112. Come on by and sample my chairs, benches and stools. I will also be selling my artwork and paperback books. The chairs will run you $375, the books are a bargain at 3 for $5.

She's Got Legs!

2009-07-18T05:05:00.001-07:00

In my opinion there's nothing finer than a nice set of gams. My "Grace" chair has the best set of legs I've seen in a long time. Especially on a chair. Another great thing about my Grace is she's also got great arms, a nice gently sloping back and nice full seat. In fact I'd say she's a perfect 10. But then again I'm her daddy so what do I know? You can experience Grace for yourself. I am making a limited edition of only 25. So far I'm up to number six. Cost for Grace in solid oak with your choice of color is $650.

Donkey Boy, The Painting

2009-07-16T13:15:00.000-07:00

Donkey Boy lives in the woods behind our house and comes out during the full moon to steal food and supplies. And small, misbehaving children. He's crazy so you don't want to get too close to him. He understands the world in colors rather than language so I am still trying to figure out the code. If you can read the code in this painting, you are either a genius or you're the DONKEY BOY! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Free Shipping!

2009-07-12T04:30:00.001-07:00

I must be crazy but am offering free shipping for the months of July and August. O.K., now here comes the disclaimer: applies to purchases of two or more Weekender chairs with a range limit of 150 miles from Bar Mills, Maine which is the epicenter of finely crafted furnishings for great outdoor living. Order your chairs today and receive free white glove delivery right in time for your midsummer's lawn parties.

Staycation Paradise

2009-07-11T20:36:00.001-07:00

Karl , Sharon, Aidan and Ava can now enjoy great outdoor living beside their brand new fire pit. Their lively new Weekender chairs provide the perfect angle for marshmallow roasting, adult beverage consuming, stargazing and fireworks watching. Karl, who works 10-12 hours a day at his own business, somehow found the time and energy to compose this lovely hard scape. Nice work Karl! I wish you all many, many fine staycations and engaging conversations living the good life in your own back yard.

Warm Earth

2009-07-07T18:07:00.000-07:00

"Warm Earth" is proving to be a popular color this summer (Benjamin Moore #1274) My Weekender Chair #37 is going to a Massachusetts residence, where the owner hopes to enjoy many pleasant hours amongst the flowers in mini "staycations" right in her own back yard.

July Sale!

2009-07-06T06:32:00.000-07:00

Wanted: good home for Weekender chairs of various personalities. I am offering eight of my early/experimental chairs at the amazing low price of $200 each. Just $200 bucks! That's what you'd pay for one of those crappy chairs from A Big Freeport Retailer. And mine are ten times as gorgeous and will last ten times as long. Hurry to the phone and reserve yours now. These awesomely comfortable and exceedingly well behaved Weekenders won't last long. (207) 929-5767. Operators are standing by to answer your call!

Seven Lakes

2009-07-05T16:08:00.001-07:00

Another Topo Graphic from my alter ego Jordan Leach. Jordan is in touch with his feminine side. He likes to paint and listen to soft jazz. Dirk on the other hand likes to push wood through jointers and planers and band saws. He listens to CYY turned up to 11. Foo Fighters, Seether, Taking Back Sunday, 311, Incubus, Saving Abel.

Topographic

2009-07-05T16:00:00.001-07:00

More painting. This is another in my "Mental Mapping" series. Acrylic on hardboard. 30" x 48". I've always loved pouring over topographic maps but thought they could use a bit more color. This would look awesome printed on fabric. Curtains, dresses, handbags, a bed spread. You could even buy chairs to match. I can give you the name of a great chair maker.

Opening Night Silent Auction!

2009-07-03T11:18:00.001-07:00

On Friday July 10th, Legacy Theatre Company of Saco will be hosting a silent auction before and after their opening night's performance of "Chicago". My blue chair will go to the highest bidder. So bid early and bid often. Come see great theater, support local charities and introduce yourself to Southern Maine's newest and brightest theater company. Please bring a non-perishable food item to support Legacy Theatre Company's mission to help feed the hungry, clothe the needy and house the homeless.

Three Paintings

2009-07-01T14:28:00.000-07:00

I've been painting these last several days. Each of these is pretty large. I used sheets of 1/4" thick hardboard measuring 48" long by 32" tall. Top to bottom: "Sprawl", "Industrial Park" and "On The Grid". I set the hardboard down on sawhorses and worked over it. I prefer 1" foam brushes and like to lay the paint on thick. The paint is leftover from my "Journey of 100 Chairs" project. I lose track of time, becoming totally absorbed by the work. Usually I start with an idea. "Sprawl" shows how we eat up green space when everybody gets their own piece of the American Pie. "Industrial Park" is all about concrete and tractor trailers lined up at warehouses. The natural landscape peeks through in tiny blocks of green. "On The Grid" shows a small piece of shoreline or natural landscape becoming absorbed into the Grid.

White Oak Rocks!

2009-06-28T05:50:00.000-07:00

Maine has a great boat building tradition. And nothing holds up below the waterline like white oak. Because it is sturdier than cedar or pressure treated pine and not as pricey or "exotic" as teak, white oak is the workhorse for outdoor furniture applications as well. This white oak arm chair is the first entry in my "Waterline" series which will include a garden bench, a small side tabel and a picnic table that seats four, or six with end stools.

Living (with) Color

2009-06-27T05:56:00.001-07:00

You can order my Weekender chairs in any color you can imagine. Or go to any Benjamin Moore paint store and pick up a fan deck. When I'm trying to decide on a color, I'll take the paint chip (or two or three) and stick it to the dashboard in my truck and drive around with it. That way I can get a good sense of effect of light and shadow. Also a feel for how the colors will work with each other. Before choosing my colors I like to live with them for a while.