"Broken Heart" wins Best ART Style at nationally-acclaimed 17th Annual Texas Furniture Makers Show®

KERRVILLE, Texas - Nov. 14, 2016 - PRLog -- Taking a new direction in sculpture and working from the heart has paid off for Lou Quallenberg at the 17th Annual Texas Furniture Makers Show®.  His beautiful Mesquite sculpture "Broken Heart" took the "Best Art Style" category award this year at the nationally-acclaimed show.

Lou Quallenberg, a born and raised "Jersey" boy, works primarily with Texas mesquite wood in an area of Texas that is famous for it's mesquite smoked barbecue.  Lou's furniture is usually entered into the "Texas Style" category if and when he has time to enter a piece in the Show.  Frank Strazza, Master Craftsman, Furniture Maker and teacher at Homestead Heritage, said in his Blog a few years ago "I can't remember a year when he did not win that award!" referring to the Best Texas Style Category Award.  Lou Quallenberg has won the "Best Texas Style" Category at the Texas Furniture Makers® Show six times. In 2014 with the massive curves in "Walker Curve Mesquite Entry Table", in 2013 with his impressive 10.5 foot long "Susan" Entry Table, in 2012 with his artsy "Drift" Sculptural Coffee Table, then in 2010 with with "Curves" Mesquite and Starphire® Glass Coffee Table, in 2009 with his Mesquite "Partners Desk" and also in 2008 with his Mesquite "Sister" Coffee Table. This year taking on a new category, as his work takes a new direction, paid off. Interestingly Lou's very first entry in the Texas Furniture Makers Show® in 2005, won the Best Art Furniture Category,  bringing his work full circle.

The 2016 Show Judges were:
Asa Christiana, former chief editor of Fine Woodworking magazine;
Peter Kennedy, of Fine Lumber & Plywood; and
Danny Kamerath, nationally acclaimed woodworker, artist,designer, writer and teacher.

Mesquite "Broken Heart" Show description:
Dimensions:  32"H x12"W x15"L

"This solid mesquite sculpture features a gold filled crack along the center heart. It is the artist's version of "Kintsugi" or "Kintsukuroi" a Japanese philosophy and
repair technique used for ceramics. The idea is that the piece is made more beautiful for having been broken. Be sure to discover the small secret removable heart tucked into the back of it - most of the heart sculptures in this series have a small removable heart incorporated into them. The broken heart was carved from a solid chunk of mesquite and sits in the anatomically correct position to the left of center. The base for this piece was created by laminating several chunks of mesquite together (alternating dark and light colors) and then carving and sculpting into it. The finish is a hand rubbed oil and wax brought down to a 600 grit."

The Annual Texas Furniture Makers® Show located in Kerrville, Texas  at the Kerr Arts & Cultural Center and now in its 17th year, continues to be the foremost exhibition and sale of Furniture Makers in Texas. The Texas Furniture Makers Show® is all about the finest woods, the most exquisite design, and the highest levels of craftsmanship. It is quite an honor just to be juried in and accepted to exhibit at the Texas Furniture Makers Show®. The show is one of the highlights of the year for Texas furniture makers and their collectors and buyers.

The Texas artists will have their work on display for the expected 5,000 or so visitors, collectors, and design professionals attending the show that began October 27, 2016 and goes through December 2, 2016 at the Kerr Arts and Cultural Center 228 Earl Garrett Street in Kerrville, Texas.

Photos of "Broken Heart" & other Heart Sculptures can be seen online at:
http://mesquite-musings.blogspot.com/2016/02/mesquite-hea...

See more work at http://www.LouQart.com/