In 2008, I was contacted by a person expressing interest in my Art Nouveau furniture designs and we exchanged several detailed emails. She discussed her deep commitment to Buddhism, and indicated that she wanted furnishings that would be reflective of her spiritual life. Thereafter, I did not hear from her for almost a year.

Suddenly, she was ready to more forward with the ideas and imagery that we had explored during our first communications. At her request, I traveled to Montana to review specific Buddhist images and iconography that was to be incorporated into the fluid lines of art nouveau cases. A criterion of the project was that no toxic chemicals be used, and it would be of total “Leeds’ environmental standards. In all, seven pieces were needed, and everything was to be built of solid wood. She opted for the lightness and strength of curly maple.

This credenza is one of the pieces built for this client. While emulating a classic tripartite division of cabinets, it bows forward in a graceful, sweeping curve and then returns. The long curve of the top reflects this bow front, while the vertical supports fan out to the sides in similar delicate lines. The façade of credenza is slightly broken, with the two paneled doors of the central section projecting forward from the single panel sections on either side. All the doors incorporate hand carved panels within art nouveau carved framing, and open up to shelves and file drawers used in this singular office.

The lotus blossom is the central theme of this piece, and every panel has carved lotus flowers in various stages of openness. These blossoms are carved in high relief, which allows a play of light and shadow despite the single pale color of the entirety.