"Who are you", As crazy as it seems, That is the first thing I ask as I start a new re-finish project.
So, as i began on the most recent one, a 1940's iron bed frame over the weekend, I sat down and introduced myself. as I touched the cold iron of the piece and felt the roughness of years of rust and neglect, i asked "Who are you?", "What have you seen?". and as I wiped it down with a wet rag I could almost feel it respond... "C'mon, lets find the "real" you again" I said.
So grinder in hand I began to peel back the years. first the rust from the years of being forgotten and stored away in the dark corner of a garage. Then came the five layers of paint of decades past. As I passed through each layer I cought glimpses, images of history.
I planned out when i started this one the end color would be a bright red, but something was telling me, showing me, it must be an antique white.
Once i reached the bare metal. it was like it was young again, a fresh start, and after the first base coat of primer, I could see the smoothness, the real piece come to life and thoughT "Yes. it has to be a white" but not just any white, a shade that is now in my mind. no variation will do.
Any time I do a re-finish i always use a color from the original piece. maybe just as trim, maybe in a place that is unseen. but a color must remain of the original, I will also never remove all blemishes or dents from the original piece, they are character, a piece of who they are. they have meaning.... someone has asked if I would do it in another color, I said "no"
Am I crazy?....is this just me?... or is this just my way of peeling back the years of myself?. Am I still just searching for the true "me?"
Or is this just something else entirely, I dont know.... perhaps it is a little of both. A connection with the past while also a reminder that we all have one. weve all seen good times, weve all had bad times, weve all made mistakes and made those choices we would like to do over. weve all experienced failures... and victories.
But we too, can all be re-finished
So, as i began on the most recent one, a 1940's iron bed frame over the weekend, I sat down and introduced myself. as I touched the cold iron of the piece and felt the roughness of years of rust and neglect, i asked "Who are you?", "What have you seen?". and as I wiped it down with a wet rag I could almost feel it respond... "C'mon, lets find the "real" you again" I said.
So grinder in hand I began to peel back the years. first the rust from the years of being forgotten and stored away in the dark corner of a garage. Then came the five layers of paint of decades past. As I passed through each layer I cought glimpses, images of history.
I planned out when i started this one the end color would be a bright red, but something was telling me, showing me, it must be an antique white.
Once i reached the bare metal. it was like it was young again, a fresh start, and after the first base coat of primer, I could see the smoothness, the real piece come to life and thoughT "Yes. it has to be a white" but not just any white, a shade that is now in my mind. no variation will do.
Any time I do a re-finish i always use a color from the original piece. maybe just as trim, maybe in a place that is unseen. but a color must remain of the original, I will also never remove all blemishes or dents from the original piece, they are character, a piece of who they are. they have meaning.... someone has asked if I would do it in another color, I said "no"
Am I crazy?....is this just me?... or is this just my way of peeling back the years of myself?. Am I still just searching for the true "me?"
Or is this just something else entirely, I dont know.... perhaps it is a little of both. A connection with the past while also a reminder that we all have one. weve all seen good times, weve all had bad times, weve all made mistakes and made those choices we would like to do over. weve all experienced failures... and victories.
But we too, can all be re-finished
