Page 8 - 2 0 0 0 V ern onia Friendship Jam bo ree
T h e c re a tio n o f fin e fu rn itu re is also an a rt
During the past several
years, artists of many talents
have been profiled in this annu
al Vernonia Jamboree tabloid.
One of the quieter artists in the
community, Dan Brown, is also
one of those who earns his liv
ing at the work he loves.
In 1977, while a student at
Vernonia High School, Dan
Brown didn’t know what he
would be exposed to when he
started working part-time there.
He was exposed to...wood!
More specifically, he started
helping industrial arts teacher
Terry Nimz, who was building
cabinets for the Washington
Grade School library and of
fice. And he found a profession
that allowed him to expand his
artistic talents while earning a
living.
But we’re jumping too far
ahead.
When Dan started attending
Vernonia High School, in 1976,
he and his Christian missionary
parents had just moved back to
the United States after spend
ing seven years in Peru. After
graduating from VHS, he at
tended Prairie Bible College in
Three Hills, Alberta, Canada,
where he earned a bachelor’s
degree in religious education.
Back in Vernonia, he started
working for Cabinet Makers
Inc., in Forest Grove, a nation
al company that is now in
Salem. Then he was employed
by Oak Unlimited, when the
well-known furniture manufac
turers were working out of a
backyard in Manning. Thirteen
years ago, he decided to strike
out on his own and started
Hardwood Originals. Since that
time, Dan’s business has been
in Manning, though in a build
ing, not in a back yard.
With control of his own busi
ness, Dan could incorporate
his creative talents in wood
working with original designs,
while continuing to make cabi
nets for kitchens, libraries and
offices. Using hardwoods from
South America, Africa, Indone
sia and other locales, he also
makes intricately inlaid table
tops, chests and other custom
furniture.
The designs are sometimes
representative and sometimes
purely abstract but, regardless
of the design and regardless
whether the furniture is meant
to be decorative or utilitarian,
they always feature the warmth
and beauty of pure wood.
There is no particle board in
the work manufactured by
Hardwood Originals, Dan ex
plained, and oak is still the
most frequently used wood.
Dan and his wife, Heidi,
who both do extensive volun
teer work, have now embarked
on a new venture. In August,
their new building on the corner
of Bridge Street and Madison
Avenue will be home to Hard
wood Originals and, in early fall
they will open Grey Dawn
Gallery in the front part of the
building.
The gallery will display
Dan’s work, in addition to rep
resenting photographer Chris
topher Burkett and ceramicist
Jeff Patterson. The Browns will
also provide custom framing.
In co rp o rated in th e design o f this
ta b le to p a re m ountains, buildings
and shadows of inlaid w ood in a
landscape o f h o rizo n tal strata and
a few d ia g o n a l accents th a t create a
nearly th re e -d im e n s io n a l visual e f
fect.
Have a safe and happy visit during
Vernonia
Friendship jamboree
From all of us at
Vernonia Family Dental
D an and H eidi Brown in the, as yet, unfinished
G rey D aw n G a lle ry . They p lan to o p e n th e
Scott van Dyken, D.M.D.
Pat Stacklie, R.D.H.
Lori Walters - Audrey Holce
g a llery in th e early fall.
Although the gallery isn’t
open, you can get a preview on
Saturday, August 5, and pur
chase raffle tickets for two Bur
kett posters — framed by Grey
Dawn Gallery of course — as a
benefit for Vernonia Cares. For
details, see article on page five.
D etail at rig h t
shows vees of
d ark w ood in
laid in the cor
ners of a chest
th a t is o th
erw ise sim ply
designed.
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