Item: Chair

Designer/Maker: Rick Pohlers – Featured in California Design ’76, Pohlers earned his BA in 1973 and MA in 1976 at California State University, Fullerton. At that time a particularly strong group of students, including Pohlers, Jim Nash and Bud Tullis were all producing expressive hand-crafted furniture at Fullerton in an atmosphere of friendly competition. This small contingent, who built on the foundation of their modernist forerunners and was widely published, helped define contemporary studio furniture of the 1970s. Pohlers, who grew up in Alaska and learned carving techniques from the Native Americans of the Northwest Coast, remains focused on functional woodworking and finds chairs in particular an enjoyable challenge.

Education: 1973 BA in Art – California State University, Fullerton 1973 Secondary Teaching Credential, CSUF 1976 MA in Art – California State University, Fullerton

Teaching: 1973-76 Art an Annual teacher, Rialto Junior High School 1976-77 Instructor, Beginning Woodworking, March AFB 1977-80 Technical Assistant, Art Dept. CSUF 1979 Arts & Crafts Instructor, CSUF 1982-83 Instructor, Woodworking 1, UC Riverside Extension 1996 Summer School Art Teacher, Eisenhower H.S., Rialto, CA.

Publications: Wood Art Today, by Dona Meilach Fine Woodworking, Design Book Three, Taunton Press Fine Woodworking, Design Book Two, Taunton Press Woodworking-The New Wave, by Dona Meilach California Design ’76 – California Design Publications

Exhibitions: Crafts Five Survey, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA. 1973. Chairs In Motion, California State University, Fullerton, 1974. Master’s Show, California State University, Fullerton, 1975 New Expressions In Wood, Saddleback College, Mission Viejo, CA. 1976. California Design ’76, Pacific Design Center, Los Angeles, CA. 1976. California Craftsman Show, Monterey Peninsula Museum of Art, CA. 1976 Desert West All-Media Juried Art Show, Antelope Valley College, CA. 1977. One-Man Show, California State University, Fullerton, CA. 1978. California Craftsman Show, Monterey Peninsula Museum of Art, CA. 1978. Wood Selections, California State University, San Luis Obispo Art Gallery, CA. 1979. Pacifica Awards Competition, Los Angeles, CA. 1980. Masks and Faces, One-Man Show, California State University, Fullerton, CA. 1980. Riverside Art Center and Gallery Faculty Show, Riverside, CA. 1982. Diverging Directions – Artist’s Furniture, Lyon Gallery, Redlands, CA. 1984 Common Ground Multimedia Art Gallery, Fullerton, CA. 1984. The Ingrained Image – Contemporary Woodworking in So. Cal., Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, CA. 1990. Woodworking ’92, City of Brea Gallery. 1992.

Description: A very fine Floating Back chair made from solid Koa. Made by Pohlers during the mid 1970s, this chair is an elegant testament to his skill as a designer-craftsman. At that time, the lively Koa wood used for this chair was more affordable than today and was Pohlers’ preferred material. Pegs in Ebony contrast with the orange-brown Koa, as does the woven cord seat (re-done recently by Pohlers), and result in a subtle combination of materials, form and engineering. Just the type of challenge this artist enjoyed most.

Dimensions: 41 1/4“ h, 18” w, 24” d, 16 1/3“ seat ht.

Condition: Excellent

Price: $2000

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