The creative impulse is profoundly human. To make that impression without leaving a trace is profoundly inspiring. The JOHN HOUSHMAND collection of sculptural furniture and architectural installations are designed to be at once modern expressions of natural splendor and sustainable responses to a lifestyle of luxury. Each piece is handcrafted from salvaged trees whose aura and history is captured, preserved and transformed, as well as stone, metals, and more. The rich colors and textures of live edge wood are contrasted with clean lines of metals and glass, creating a union of realms. Geometric intervention through cutting and folding reveals the secret life of wood.
The company is a small, intense group of creative people dedicated to the challenge of seeking beauty in the hidden and unexpected. Their process is personal: They follow a tree’s journey from log to finished product, or stone’s passage from quarry to your home. From the selection of raw materials to specific design choices, they collaborate with the clients, giving the owner a voice in the process. The clients are not just buying an object, but a history, and a new relationship with the vibrant and deeply powerful world of nature and matter.
JOHN HOUSHMAND was born an artist in 1954. Raised by a Dutch-American mother and an Iranian father, John has always danced between Eastern philosophy and Western principles. He was cultured at an early age, spending his youth abroad in the Philippines, Great Britain, Iran, and Israel. Educated at Yale University, John received a BA in Art History in 1978. In the midst, he explored the worlds of professional photography and ceramic arts, featured in gallery exhibits and major publications.
Because working with his hands proved a natural extension of his inner vision, John immersed himself in an assortment of artistic realms. He produced and recorded eclectic world jazz albums playing guitar, bass, and percussion. Ultimately, it was his love for nature that led him to begin crafting homes, log chalets and bridges in the Northwest. Having relocated to New York in 1980, John launched a career by co-partnering Clark Construction, a preeminent NYC-based contracting firm.
John’s inventive essence and exceptional life experiences have harmonized to produce his latest masterful creation. His current endeavor involves designing and crafting an exclusive line of functional art, ironically disguised as furniture. John’s work embodies the simplicity of Eastern aesthetics, a vibrant celebration of nature, and a deep reverence for all things esoteric. John is Commander-in-Chief of this entire operation. His unique relationship with the natural world has manifested into a 900-acre farm in upstate New York, which is where he creates his furniture today.
As Orsiad, we would like to share one of his pieces called “Chalk it up” as a sample of his functional art. This stunning chalk board table design is a piece of furniture that brings nature to homes and reflects the creativity of this New Yorker designer.
