Martin Gerard and his wife Shawn Moran moved to Ridgefield from Orcas Island two years ago to be near their children and grandchildren. They were drawn to the rural setting and small town feel of our town.
They own ‘Martin Gerard Design’ in Vancouver where Martin designs and builds his one-of-a-kind, high-end furniture. Shawn is his Office Manager/Girl Friday. Let Martin tell his story:
“I have been designing and making one-of-a-kind furniture for over 30 years. I have a studio in Vancouver where I create a variety of projects: everything from furniture for boardrooms and kitchens to a wall at the new Cinetopia involving 34 iPads disguised as art in diptychs and triptychs.
“Something that differentiates me from most other shops is that I press all my own woods rather than purchase 4×8 sheets. I buy these woods straight from a broker who photographs every flitch (a log sliced into veneer). This enables me to create in Photoshop a very realistic design made up of the actual woods available. This process has given me many examples of my work showing how designs became reality. The result is customers become very involved, even being able to choose which tree goes into their project.
I also am an artist represented in galleries around the country. I use one-of-a-kind reverse painted glass tabletops in my coffee and entry tables and as large wall pieces. I introduced these wood and glass tables at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York in 1993. This resulted in sales with Roche Bobois, gallery representation in Palm Desert, Kirkland, Laguna Beach and Seattle. The former chairman of the Portland Art Museum and his wife commissioned five pieces.”
Click here to pull up Martin’s website. The first video on his video page shows Martin playing music while painting a large picture on glass, using his rotisserie to turn the sheet of glass
Martin opens his studio by appointment. He may be reached at martin@martingerard.com or 360-903-2918.
