| The very popular three artists / furniture | | | | to compose the perfect furniture design for your |
| designers I have studied are all unique in their | | | | home. So when you are looking around for the |
| own, creative ways. Examining the life and spirit | | | | perfect outdoor table, whether you know it or |
| of anyone, you will find specific distinctions - | | | | not, you may as well be searching for the perfect |
| especially in the life and work of artists. | | | | painting or garden sculpture. Your furniture design, |
| Nonetheless, we are all alike in our dissimilarities. | | | | accessories and overall motif can make just as |
| Just as anyone else who loves his or her job is | | | | much of an artistic expression. |
| driven by the process of it (in this case, the | | | | Ivan Mclean was a country boy, not without |
| process of discovery and design) the artist: any | | | | experience in traveling, and self-taught in his |
| artist: will be unique in his or her similarities to | | | | sculpting and welding skills. He is a truly inspired |
| other artists. Kendall LeCompte, Ivan McLean, and | | | | individual, not afraid of hard work to achieve what |
| Jason Mclean are all creative furniture designers | | | | his artistic goals. This hard work was probably an |
| that use some of the same kinds of artistic | | | | inherent sort of diligence combined with patience |
| processes. But between all artists, however | | | | that comes with his particular background. He |
| diminutive, you will find that all are also somewhat | | | | began making a living in metal work, developing |
| dissimilar from any other. | | | | more and more ideas and creative designs. He not |
| "To each his own way" as they say, is the basis | | | | only sold simple, practical items, but increasingly |
| for a lot of creative minds coming up with a lot | | | | began to sell sculptures, expressive, artistic |
| of signature material, money, and sometimes | | | | benches and other metal decorative accessories. |
| even fame. Kendall LeCompte, Ivan McLean, and | | | | This particular line of high quality metal furniture, |
| Jason Mclean all tap into a certain creative source | | | | accessories and other merchandise is, in my |
| for their ideas and in due process, their furniture | | | | opinion extremely classy and tasteful, while |
| designs. Kendall LeComp says that he "evolved | | | | distinct - as art itself should be. Ivan, as naturally |
| from a sponge" and he bases this idea on the | | | | as any artist would, moved on later to another |
| details in his life. More specifically, the fact that he | | | | medium: marble sculpture. His preference for |
| takes in, like a sponge, the details all around him | | | | marble sculpture is still one of his greatest |
| everywhere he goes. I believe that this (what is | | | | passions. Ivan McLean designed sculptures, candle |
| to some a seemingly useless fact) is true of | | | | holders, and his artistic abilities and stream of |
| many artists, however, and is in fact what often | | | | creations has made him the success he is today. |
| triggers the creative process. Kendall LeComp | | | | His best selling item is the Menorah with figures, |
| says that his experiences in Crete and Istanbul | | | | with which thousands upon thousands of people |
| were strikingly inspirational to him, and doubtlessly | | | | are familiar. Many designs have followed, Ivan |
| set his creativity in motion. They remained with | | | | continues his sculptures and has full creative |
| him formlessly. That is, until he went to work, and | | | | command over the welding torch. Discipline and |
| the, sights, sounds, and shapes of his experiences | | | | experience have made this so. |
| ended up "reappearing as a series of chairs" he | | | | Ivan Mclean is said to be an individual who remains |
| says. | | | | in motion. Comparatively to the unstopping way |
| Nonetheless, the furniture I am speaking of is not | | | | that a shark swims, he keeps moving for the |
| just the result of a designer with a photographic | | | | purpose of moving. By definition an individual with |
| memory. The series of designer chairs he is | | | | an artistic nature is one that continues to push |
| speaking of are not the reflections of chairs he | | | | forward in his or her artistic endeavors. If you |
| saw in the places he visited in 1999. Instead, what | | | | want to make a beautiful expression with the |
| a furniture designer, as an artist, will do is attempt | | | | furniture, decorative accessories such as media |
| to recapture the essence of what was 'soaked in', | | | | holders, sculptures and more, the best artistic |
| so to speak at a time such as the trip to Crete | | | | expressiveness (in whatever form) comes from |
| and Istanbul of which Kendall LeComp spoke. If | | | | the heart of the artist. |
| this is achieved, the artist's vision becomes a | | | | Always consider this artistic factor when you are |
| success. Given the allure of much of the home | | | | purchasing items such as furniture, sculptures, |
| décor that Kendall LeComp has created, | | | | outdoor lighting and more, for both home and |
| and will continue to create, his sponge-like qualities | | | | garden décor, and both indoor and |
| (as he refers to them) have proven the success | | | | outdoor accessories. You can find amazing |
| of his art. A new, high quality and distinctive look | | | | sculptures like Ivan McLean's in many different |
| is much more than a copycat, it is a recapturing | | | | gardens, alongside reflecting pools, on patios and in |
| of an experience, a design to re-create the feeling | | | | ponds. The customized look of true art is valuable: |
| - not necessarily the place. | | | | it something definitely not set into the same-old, |
| It is unfortunate, but many people do not | | | | same-old "copycat" sculptures, accessories or |
| consider the amount of creative ability it requires | | | | even furniture. |