11/04/2021
George Katsutoshi Nakashima (1905-1990)
Architect, Woodworker, Furniture Maker
Graduated from University of Washington (B. Arch, 1929)
and MIT (M. Arch, 1931).
Father of The American Arts and Crafts Movement
Accepted Order of the Sacred Treasure from Japanese Emperor 1983
Winner of Institute of American Architect' Gold Craftmanship Medal, 1946 - Natural Edge or Live Edge
One of leading innovators of Furniture Design in 20th century.
Quotations:
“The elegance and power of simplicity, the beauty of proper materials, the delicacy of unfinished wood, the traditional and modern creative proportions, where the error of a fraction of an inch can make the design fail absolutely".
“Each flitch, each board, each plank can have only one ideal use. The woodworker applying a thousand skills, must find that ideal use and then shape the wood to realise its true potential. The result is our ultimate object, plain and simple".
