Since 1977, I have lived and worked as a wood craftsman out on the rolling plains of the northeast Texas Panhandle. I have watched as more and more of the old homesteads on the rolling plains are abandoned and their barns, corrals, and outbuildings slowly settle to the ground, forgotten.
My desire to preserve some of the fine old structures and their
stories, and my delight in the colors and textures of the weathered wood, barn
tin, and harness hardware prompted me to begin incorporating the castoff
materials into my furniture. From barn roofs to early grain elevators,
archetypal building shapes and details serve as inspirations for designs. I try
to bring humor and a great deal of reverence into the design of the furniture,
and at the same time let the surprising and varied parts go on “working” and
being enjoyed in a second, recycled life.
By using the salvaged parts of the old windmills, houses, and barns in a new context, I hope to foster a new way of seeing and appreciating these overlooked icons. And, by using my years of practical knowledge in design and the art of furniture making, I seek to create furniture that is a pleasure to use from day to day and will allow part of the plains legacy to be passed on to new generations.
Some
History Doug Ricketts grew up in New Mexico surrounded by a rich arts and crafts tradition. He attended the University of New Mexico, but received his BFA from Phillips University at Enid, Oklahoma. While working on a degree in sculpture and ceramics, he worked as a carpenter and cabinetmaker.
Doug moved to the Texas Panhandle with his wife, Cathy, in 1977.
They live on land near Lipscomb, Texas that has been passed down from Cathy’s
grandfather.
Continuing the tradition of making do with available resources that his family began when settling on the Llano Estacado of Texas and New Mexico, Doug crafts quality furniture from salvaged wood and vintage hardware. Part of the draw of his furniture is the written history that accompanies each piece. Describing the buildings from which the wood was taken and the people who lived or worked in them gives the collector a personal link with the piece that, in effect, becomes a reliquary.
Once
completed, the furniture is sanded, then sealed with a special sealer that
maintains the wood’s original color, sanded again, and then waxed and rubbed.
A printed history of the special wood and hardware accompanies each piece. A metal nameplate with a serial number further identifies the work.
Delivery throughout the Southwest is available and shipping to all other parts of the country an option as well.
To see a video of the recent (November 2003) recognition and exposure Doug has had with his "Art from the Ruins" road show, please click on his picture below. This is an excerpt from the Texas Country Reporter (http://www.texascountryreporter.com/show.htm):
Aired weekend of November 15th 2003
This week on
Texas Country Reporter, find out why this Odessa man has made his entire
backyard a shrine of Texas movie memorabilia. Dewitt Bobbitt 8820 Heather Lane,
Odessa, TX 79764, ph# 915.366.3827
Stop by a farm where the crop is as fragrant as it is plentiful. Robb Kendrick
and Jeannie Ralston, 1672 Mckinney Loop, Blanco, TX 78606, 830.833.5008,
www.hillcountrylavender.com
Plus, he was just looking to gather antique wood from a
forgotten farmhouse, but he found so much more. Doug Ricketts, 15951 Hwy. 213
Higgins, TX 79046. ph# 806.862.2205, email:
doug@ricketts.com
Texas Country Reporter…it’s what the Lone Star State is all about.
CLICK on Doug's picture below to see the 11 minute video. It is a 3mb file (3,216,000 bytes), so be patient while it downloads. It will take a long time if you are are not on high speed phone line connections to the Internet. This is an .asf formatted file and you will need Windows Media player or a program that can read that type of file. Also, excuse the quality of the video. We had to reduce it down significantly in order to get it to fit into a decent sized file (as if 3mb is a small file!), which started out at 995mb file once we converted it to an .avi file from the DVD.
