Guild of Metalsmiths' Gallery: Works by Ray Strand

Ray is a new member from around Morris, MN where he works at the University. He says, "I don't officially teach (but, I do a lot of that anyway) as the supervisor of the Theatre Sceneshop. I build sets for the theatre productions with the help of class practicum students." His studio is a barn in the process of being remodeled. Many of the following pieces of furniture contain wood milled from dead trees in the wood lot in this photo.

Furniture

River Wave Table The top is elm wood carved into waves, and analine dyed and lacquered, and the grain flows and flows. The base is also of elm and dyed and lacquered. The wood was obtained from a fallen elm tree on the farm where my studio is located. I milled the wood (with my own mill--funded in part by a grant from the Lake Region Arts Council) into lumber, cured it , and then built the table. The legs are tapered by faceting.
DIMENSIONS: 18”w x 48” l x 29”h photography by Rolf Hagberg

Sculpture

Demon Walking Stick. Resin, wood, copper wires, polychromed.,   
Demon Bronze Bronze.
Ray Strand
Prairie Sky Design
rr1 Box 426
Morris, MN 56267-9783

strandra@cda.mrs.umn.edu
320-795-2840

Ray has recently started working with metal. Much of his previous work has been in wood.coat rack 2 with carved curved hooks

At left: Wavy Hat Rack DESCRIPTION: Maple curved hatrack is multicolored with lacquer. The colors and shapes allude to clouds, sun and water. DIMENSIONS:24”w x 24” l x 72”h
Wing Table DESCRIPTION: Tapered red analine dyed ash table legs Willow top, painted black and then gouged, the gouge marks are then dyed with bright colors handcut dovetail joinery for the wings of the top hand cut mortise and tenon joinery for the base. DIMENSIONS: 18”w x 30” l x 29”h photo by Rolf Hagberg
Yellow and Red Table DESCRIPTION: The top is bookmatched ash that has had the grain filled with red, yellow analine dyed and laquered. The tapered ash legs are red analine dyed. The wood was obtained from a fallen ash tree on the farm where my studio is located DIMENSIONS: 18”w x 24”l x 29”h
Black Faceted Dining Chair Prototype DESCRIPTION: Walnut wood, analine dyed black, with black velvet upholstery. The legs are shaped by faceted tapers. DIMENSIONS: 18”w x 23”l x 48”h
Missile Hat Rack DESCRIPTION: Birch wood is tapered by faceting and painted with a metal flake lacquer. DIMENSIONS:24”w x 24” l x 72”h photo by Rolf Hagberg