art center
school of the arts
art in public placesOrchid Table
Artist: Michael O’Brien
Location: Fallbrook Library
The design of the Orchid Table had only two requirements, an oval top and casters on each leg. My job was to create a table of pleasing form and balance. I did not want the table to portray a particular style such as southwest or art deco. I had reached the point where the top, legs and stretcher had been designed with placement and species of veneer decided. However, there was something missing – it needed some excitement. It hit me, “NOTCHES, that’s it!”
About the Artist: O’Brien, a self-inspired and self-taught artist, grew up on a farm outside of Cleveland. He tried college but didn’t know what he wanted to do, so he apprenticed as a carpenter … 30 years later, he’s still making custom furniture. San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association commented on the unique style of O’Brien’s furniture, saying “it’s definitely not anything you’ve seen before.”
Donors: Friends of the Fallbrook Library
