做工藝的人，有時候像一個虔誠的宗教徒，同樣地擁有堅定的心，一直地追隨內心相信的事。
認識道具所（dou6 geoi6 so2）的Chowman，是由她做的Shaker box開始，優美的橢圓形、精細的銅釘、經染色的藤繩，每一個Shaker box都「恰如其份」，不多也不少。Chowman說，完成了上次Shaker box展覽後的訂製單，她便起程去日本學習做椅子。
「今年的目標是學習製作椅子，早前特意拜訪京都一間位於郊區的木工房，工匠UNOH先生在這個只有樹木和流水的大自然中建立了自己的家和木工房，屋內所有家俬都是由他製作的，妻子負責家務和膳食，女兒幫忙宣傳、印刷。UNOH先生是一位專門製作Shaker furniture的職人，我們在這裏逗留了三日兩夜，除了學習製作Shaker椅子，也很享受和UNOH一家愉快地用膳和聊天。」
「我和UNOH先生嘗試用最簡單的英語分享各自的木工經驗和看法，說到Shaker box的製作過程時，發現雖然是同一個盒，但我們在每個步驟之中卻有着不同的做法，大家都不禁欣賞對方的做法。而令我最驚訝的是，UNOH先生在互聯網還未發達的年代，只憑著展覽相片和翻閱書本，已能用自己的方法一步一步製作出Shaker box和其他家具，他對Shaker furniture的專注和熱愛程度真的讓我十分敬佩呢。」
Shaker furniture代表著簡單、質樸、實用的風格，有說是源自英國的宗教團體Shaking Quakers，他們信奉簡單生活、勞動和原始的工藝，認為過度的裝飾是一種驕傲的罪，所以他們製造的家具予人一種永恆、優雅的感覺。
「對做木工的我來說，做一張好看又舒服的椅子是最困難的。以溫莎椅為例，背部彎曲的板條，需要像做Shaker box般經過蒸木的步驟、部分彎曲結構需要經人手刨木，每一個步驟都包含了做木工需要有的技巧，也是在木工範疇裏是最具挑戰性的。」Chowman說，在這個年代，人們對「坐」的理解可以很廣泛，可能有一個平面已經能坐了，但椅子是最貼近身體，是每天也會使用到的物件，所以使用時的舒適度和感受都很重要。「現在的我想先學習製作很有歷史的Shaker椅子和溫莎椅，才去發展加入自己的設計元素的椅子。我希望我做的東西可以耐用、耐看一點，不會因為流行什麼技巧、外形而製作。」看似簡單的椅子，製作起來步驟卻是相當繁複，那麼做一張溫莎椅需要多久呢？「現在沒有一個很具體的概念，只知要做很久。（笑）」
丹麥家具設計大師Hans J. Wegner說過：「椅子只有在人坐下的那一刻才真正完整。」唯有透過使用，家具或器物的用途才能被發揮出來，美才能從中展現。「有些人會覺得我們創作的是工藝品，因它的珍貴而只作擺放、不去使用；我卻希望作品能成為日常經常用到的物品，也因為它的耐用，可以傳給下一代繼續使用。」
完成了Shaker椅子後，Chowman說想製作世界上不同類型的椅子，學習不同地方製作椅子的技巧，最後製作出屬於自己的一張椅子。「較早前已計劃好今年八月會去美國學習製作溫莎椅，相比起Shaker椅子，溫莎椅的外觀上更複雜，所需要的技巧要求亦更高。」作為一位產品設計師，Chowman說做工藝與她日常的工作幾乎完全相反，但她卻在這矛盾之中找到平衡。「我認為大量生產的市場已經飽和了，產品設計很多時候都因為節省成本和時間而被公式化，做木工能滿足我創作欲望。雖然這些不合乎成本效益的工藝正逐漸消失，但我認為這些傳統必須保存下去，我也希望在這方面繼續探索下去。」
Craftspeople can be like devoted followers of a faith, possessing an unwavering determination and diligently pursuing what their hearts believe in.
I first learned about Chowman from dou6 geoi6 so2 because of the Shaker boxes she creates. Made with delicate copper nails and dyed rattan ropes, each of her beautiful oval shaker boxes is “just right” — not too much, and not too little. After fulfilling all the custom orders she received at her Shaker box exhibition, Chowman set out to Japan to learn the art of chairmaking.
“My goal this year is to learn how to make chairs. I recently visited a woodworking studio in the suburbs of Kyoto, where Master UNOH has established his home and workshop amidst the natural surroundings, with only trees and flowing water nearby. All the furniture in his house is handmade by UNOH himself, while his wife handles the housework and meals, and their daughter assists with promotion and printing. UNOH is a craftsperson who specializes in making Shaker-style furniture. We stayed with the UNOH for three days, not only learning to create Shaker chairs, but also enjoying shared meals and conversations with the entire UNOH household.”
“UNOH and I tried our best to communicate our woodworking experiences and perspectives to each other in the simplest English possible. When discussing the process of making Shaker boxes, we realized that although the end products were the same, we had somewhat different approaches at each step. We couldn’t help but appreciate each other’s unique methods. What surprised me the most was that even before the widespread use of the internet, UNOH could create Shaker boxes and other furniture solely based on exhibition photos and books he had studied. This demonstrated his profound dedication and deep love for the Shaker furniture tradition.”
The Shaker style of furniture is known for its simple, rustic, and highly functional design. This aesthetic is said to have originated from the Shaking Quakers, a religious group in England who believed in leading a simple life, embracing manual labor, and practicing a primitive form of craftsmanship. Since the Shakers considered excessive decoration to be a sinful display of pride, their furniture has a timeless and elegantly understated quality to it.
“As a woodworker, I find that creating a well-designed and truly comfortable chair is one of the most challenging tasks. For example, the curved slats of a Windsor chair require steaming the wood, and some of the curved structural components need to be hand-planed. Each step demands specialized woodworking skills, making chair-making one of the most technically demanding disciplines in the field.” Chowman notes that in today’s era, people’s understanding of what constitutes “sitting” has become quite broad, where even a simple flat surface may be considered a suitable seat. However, a chair is something that is closest to the body and is used every day, so the comfort and feeling when people are sitting on it are very important. “Right now, I want to first focus on learning to make historic Shaker chairs and Windsor chairs before incorporating my own original design elements. My goal is to create pieces that are not only durable, but also possess a timeless quality, rather than just following the latest trends in techniques or aesthetics.” Acknowledging the rather complex making process of the seemingly simple Windsor chair, Chowman laughs, “I don’t have a concrete idea yet, but I know it will take a long time to complete a Windsor chair properly.”
Danish furniture designer Hans J. Wegner once said, “A chair is only finished when someone sits in it.” It is through the actual use of a piece of furniture that its true purpose and inherent beauty can be fully realized. “Some people may see our creations as precious crafts, too delicate to be used. But I hope my works can become everyday items that are durable enough to be passed down to the next generation.”
After completing the Shaker chair, Chowman plans to expand her repertoire by making different types of chairs from around the world, learning various chair-making techniques along the way. Her ultimate goal is to eventually create her own signature chair design. “I’ve already planned to learn how to make Windsor chairs in the US this August. Compared to the Shaker chair, the Windsor chair is more complex in appearance and requires higher levels of skill to construct properly,” she explains. As a product designer by trade, Chowman sees her woodworking as almost the opposite of her daily job. However, she has found a productive balance in this contrast. “I believe the mass production market is already quite saturated, and product design is often standardized to save costs and time. Woodworking allows me to fulfill my creative desires in a hands-on way. Although these non-cost-effective craft traditions are gradually disappearing, I hope to continue exploring this path and contributing to the legacy of these timeless furniture-making techniques.”
