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Chaise Lounge, 2011
found shopping cart,
recycled chrome
tubing, upholstery
P r o d u c t P l a c e m e n t
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DOUG MEYER MADE HIS DESIGN
b o n e s w ith w h e e lc h a ir lo v e s e a ts
an d sh o p p in g -ca rt ch aise lo u n g e s
th a t d are th e a d v e n tu ro u s to go
c a re e n in g d o w n th e ce re a l aisle.
B u t his w o r k also in clu d es a sleek ,
n e o -d e c o
P ap erclip Console
and
an e le g a n t, p o st-in d u stria l
C a p -
sule C o ff ee Table.
“ T h e r e a re fa c e ts o f m y c r e -
a tiv ity I a lw a y s h a v e to fu lfill,”
sa y s M e y e r ,
3 6
, fro m h is h o m e
o u ts id e C le v e la n d . “ S o m e o f m y
w o r k is d am n s e rio u s , an d so m e
o f it’s ju s t stra ig h t-u p g o o fy . I t’s
all w h a t y o u se e in it.”
O th e rs see p le n ty . H is w o r k
h as b e e n p ic k e d u p b y C o r e y
D a n ie ls G a lle ry in W e lls , M a in e ,
an d L iz a S h erm a n A n tiq u e s in
N e w Y o r k , b y a h igh -en d h o m e
fu rn ish in g sto re in B o s to n , and
fo r m e rch a n d isin g d isp la y s fo r
w e ll-k n o w n re ta ile rs, su ch as
T o m m y H ilfig e r and J. C r e w .
N o t b ad fo r a k id fro m A k r o n ,
O h io , w h o lea rn ed his c ra ft th e
o ld -fa sh io n ed w a y : on th e jo b .
T h e o n c e -m ig h ty ca p ital o f
ru b b e r h ad lo n g b e e n stru g g lin g
b y th e tim e M e y e r g ra d u a te d
fro m h ig h sc h o o l. In h is art
c la sse s, h e “ fe ll in lo v e w ith
s c u lp tu re ,” b u t h e d id n ’t h a v e
th e m o n e y fo r c o lle g e . S o a fte r
w o r k in g in a s tr a w fa c to r y fo r
$
6 . 1 5
an h o u r, h e an d a f e w
frie n d s h it th e ro ad and h ea d e d
fo r C a lifo rn ia .
T h e y m ad e it to S a lt L a k e
C it y b e fo re th e cash ran ou t.
M e y e r sta y e d , fo u n d h is w a y
in to th e J o b C o r p s , a trad e-
sch o o l p rogram fo r lo w -in co m e
y o u th , an d le a rn e d to w e ld .
A r m e d w ith n e w sk ills, h e h e a d -
ed b a c k to O h io and fo u n d in d u s-
trial w o r k . O f f th e jo b , h e b e g a n
sc a v e n g in g ab an d o n ed b ik e s and
“ a n y th in g th at w a s m e ta l,” m ak -
in g scu lp tu re and fu rn itu re.
H e e v e n tu a lly la n d ed a six-
m o n th g ig w o r k in g fo r an
a rtist-c ra ftsm a n fr ie n d , M ik e
M o r it z , w h o n e e d e d an ace
w e ld e r fo r h is a rc h ite c tu ra l fa b -
ric a tio n b u s in e ss in C le v e la n d .
G iv e n th e v a r ie ty o f w o r k and
M o r it z ’s m e tic u lo u s m e th o d s,
M e y e r sa ys h e le a rn e d m o re
a b o u t h is c r a ft in th a t sh o rt
s tre tc h th an a n y w h e r e e lse.
H is n e x t b re a k ca m e w ith
fu rn itu re m a k e r J a so n W e in ,
a n o th e r m e n to r, w h o le t h im
c o n tr ib u te d e sig n id ea s and
ta u g h t h im th e a ll-im p o rta n t
b u sin e ss sid e . M e y e r w o r k e d
fo r W e in fo r a b o u t fo u r y e a rs
b e fo r e s trik in g o u t on h is o w n
Chrome Frame Tower, 2011
recycled sheet metal, found and
recycled chrome tubing
6 x 2.7 x 1.3 ft.
0 1 8
a m e r i c a n c r a f t
o c t / n o v n
Photos (4): Doug Meyer
