Alan Kalker
Statement
I am drawn to things that are practical and functional yet beautiful to look at. There is also a need in me, the origin of which I cannot explain, to create. It provides a satisfaction I cannot attain another way.
My goal is to create hand-crafted furniture that combines simple, elegant, artistic lines with the warmth and durability of wood. Each piece is built with old-time craftsmanship, heirloom quality and a modern aesthetic.
Biography
My work with wood began as an endeavor of necessity. My wife and I graduated with a lot of school debt and little funds to pay for needed home furnishings. What started as a need was fun and became a passionate hobby. I kept pushing my skill level (and still do) because I take pleasure in the craft. Trained as a podiatrist, I served on the faculty at the University of Wisconsin Hospital for 30+ years in the Department of Surgery. On retiring I spent a winter at the woodworking program at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine. That completely changed the game. It vastly improved my technical skills and expanded my design abilities and possibilities.
Now it provides a means of giving life to things that are so often a sea of sameness and monotony. When building commissions for clients my goal is to create something that is an enduring harmony of function and beauty.
Shows
Center for Furniture Craftsmanship museum – Juried Alumni show 2021
Madison Art Fair on the Square 2018 – 2021