Creator: Jonathan Otter
Nominator: Gary McCallum
Seconders: Susan MacAlpine Foshay, Victoria Rosenberg
J-Class Lounge Chair and Footstool is a fresh take on an ancient design. Based loosely on the arch back or continuous arm, Windsor chair, the artist encourages the art of relaxation by widening and lowering his lounge chair. All edges are soft and spindles are hand-shaped to fit the lumbar curve. The back`s graceful arc sweeps down to wide, supportive arms and the seat is deeply sculpted to cosset the sitter. The artist chose the highest quality raw material and brought them together in an artful manner. The back crest is laminated from thin slices of black walnut from a single plank with invisible glue lines. The addition of a footstool completes the ensemble, the result of an estimated 15,000 hours of labouring at a workbench.
Jury comments: “The Chair is masterful fusion of tradition and innovation.” “J-Class Chair and Footstool made one juror want to sit down with a beer…and think of his own masterwork.”
The perfect combination of exceptional functionality, graceful & innovative design, and unsurpassed craftsmanship. You could spend hours examining it, taking it in. Ultimately, the best way to appreciate this chair is to sit in it.