Friday, February 5, 2010

Live-edge Flamewood Tall Tree Desk with Bronze Double Trestle Legs

Amazing desk created for a great client!
 
Live-edge Flamewood Tall Tree Desk with Bronze Double Trestle Legs
CFA Serial # 025
78''L x ~33''W x30''H (~2'' Thick)
High-gloss Urethane Hardcoat Finish with UV protection
Hidden electrical wiring and Bronze Grommet

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

20ft x 48" Redwood Uber Conference Table 3" Thick

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Friday, January 22, 2010

CLARK Functional Art Collage

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

CLARK Functional Art selected for "Best of the Cities -- Riviera OC Magazine"

I'm honored to be selected as "Best of the Cities 2010" by Riviera Orange County Magazine.
Click here to see the article




Monday, January 18, 2010

OC Riviera Best of Cities 2010

Looking forward to seeing the Riviera Magazine Best of Cities 2010 coming out January.

Work in progress... 12ft Long Thai Flamewood

Table being finished for Jean de Merry, Beverly Hill Ca.

Big slabs... 10ft long

Part of a bunch of new wood

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Walnut Tall Tree Table with Rosewood Hollow Inlays and Patina Steel Double Trestle Legs

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Yellowstone Club Collection

Walnut and Ebony Oak with Patina Iron

Large Dining, Cocktail, Sofa, and Side Tables

Custom Sizes Available

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Teak Tree Trunk Cocktail Table



















Teak Tree Trunk Cocktail Table with Teak with Oval Glass Top
60x40'' Oval x 20''H
CFA Serial #38

Picture by Dennis Owen

Monday, December 14, 2009

Yellowstone Club Ebony-oak Cocktail Table with Japanese-Brown Patina Iron Double Trestle Base and Butterfly Inlays

See in the Yellowstone Club Lakeside Lobby


Yellowstone Club Ebony-oak Cocktail Table with Japanese-Brown Patina Iron Double Trestle Base and Butterfly Inlays

Yellowstone Club Ebony-oak Cocktail Table with Japanese-Brown Patina Iron Double Trestle Base and Butterfly Inlays

CFA Serial # 51
62''L x 42''W x 20''H (~2.75'' Thick)
Satin Urethane Hardcoat Finish with UV protection

Available in any size.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Yellowstone Club Walnut Cocktail Table

See all my works at the Yellowstone Club Ski Resort in the Warren Miller Dining Room


Yellowstone Club Walnut Cocktail Table with Japanese-Brown Patina Iron Base and Butterfly Inlays

CFA Serial # 56
42''L x 42''W x 22''H (~1.75'' Thick)
Satin Urethane Hardcoat Finish with UV protection

Available in any size.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Teak Tall Tree Cocktail Table with Polished Metal Mirror Legs

Teak Tall Tree Cocktail Table with Polished Metal Mirror Legs
60''L x 26''W x 17.5''H (3'' Thick)
CFA Serial #35
Consignment at Gina-B

Picture by Dennis Owen


Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Showing in the Billabong Suite at Riviera Magazine / Casa Surf Project



Go to the Riviera Magazine / Casa Surf Project Party tonight in Laguna Beach at the La Casa del Camino Hotel "The Roof Top". I'm showing my work in the Billabong Suite.


Monday, November 2, 2009

Triple-Cross Table

Triple Cross Table
Polished Metal Legs
CFA Serial # TBD
30''H x ~36Diameter
Supports 4-6ft Glass Round



Monday, October 12, 2009

Beverly Hills Style Magazine, Fall 2009 p47 article on me and my company

Natural Living

Organic elements infuse warmth, style, and sophistication into your home / by Rick Campos

Beyond the tomato and your favorite cookie, the label “organic” is branching out from the supermarket. With real branches! Interior designers around the globe have added a
new technique to their bag of tricks. These days, no room is ready for the pages of a glossy magazine without an organic element. Displacing the requisite white orchid into second
place is the teak tree stump side table upon which it rests.

The word “organic” in the design industry means simply: an earthy element. There is much room for interpretation here, unlike the local farmers’ market with ultra-strict guidelines. The infusion of stone, concrete and re-claimed wood is creating a new transitional palette rich with warmth, shape, style, and sophistication.

For years, artist Tony Clark of Clark Functional Art has created one-of-a-kind pieces for luxury residences and highend commercial applications. His coral-like root coffee tables and enormous free edge dining tables are focal points in designer living spaces from Laguna Beach to Napa Valley. Tony collects re-claimed slabs and tree stumps from around the globe to create his works of art. His wood choices lean more toward the exotic varieties such as teak, rosewood, and Honduras mahogany.

It seems no matter how traditional, contemporary or modern a space is, the inclusion of organic elements such as reclaimed wood brings a sense of humanity and responsibility to the scene. For a cool, urban look, try pairing the natural unrefined dining table with sleek Lucite dining chairs. In a more traditional setting, surround a chunky root coffee table with four over sized wing back chairs to create a classic conversation area with a unique focal point.

Clark Functional Art is available to the trade at Gina B & Company in the Laguna Design Center perhaps an address, phone number, or web site.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Daily Pilot Article


Published Thursday, September 24, 2009 10:17 PM PDT


Shopping

Checking in with...Tony Clark:

Furniture with Thai inspiration

By Imran Vittachi


Local artist Tony Clark owns and operates CLARK Functional Art in Costa Mesa. He designs and creates custom pieces of furniture, home decor and works of fine art from sections of old-growth trees that he’s found and reclaimed. Many of his pieces, he says, come from stumps of felled trees that were abandoned in northern Thailand. Clark, an avid

runner who lives in Newport Beach with his wife and toddler son, stumbled upon his first find in Chiang Mai, Thailand, several years ago, while running there with members of the local Hash Club chapter. Clark, 46, gave up a successful career as an executive at Northrop Grumman Corp. to pursue his love of woodworking and creating art full time. He has a bachelor’s degree in engineering and an MBA from UCLA, as well as a master’s in computer science from USC.

What is functional art?

Functional art is art for the home. It’s art that you place in your home and that you use everyday. It becomes a part of your life.

How is your business unique?

I custom-make pieces for clients. My art is unique in the fact that I import reclaimed exotic woods from Southeast Asia that would be lost, if not found. And I am rediscovering this wood and presenting it to people, so they can see the beauty; otherwise it would rot in the forest or just be lost forever.

How did the idea come to you?

I’ve always been in love with wood. And I saw the beauty in the wood and also in other types of material — like metal, resins and glass — and I wanted to bring them together in an art.

How did you find your first pieces of wood?

It was quasi-serendipitous.... We would drive out to the middle of Thailand, and there would be a big log in a lake. And it was a tree trunk. We would dig it out of the ground and clean it up. I didn’t really know at the time what it was, or how beautiful it would be. It was kind of like discovering a treasure....

And just being an opportunist when you see something. There was this huge tree trunk in the River Ping. It was a rosewood tree. (The trunk) was 9 feet in diameter at the narrow end, and at the roots it was, you know, maybe, 14 feet in diameter.

What type of wood was in the first trunk that you extracted?

It was an old teak tree. There’s many species of teak in Thailand. Most of the forest is teak.... There’s (also) many species of Thailand rosewood up there, and another wood called the East Indian walnut, and acacia, which they call monkey pod, of all things.

What are some of the oldest trees that you’ve worked with?

The oldest tree was the (Rosewood) tree that washed out of the River Ping. I estimated that it must be at least 2,000 years old.

How is your business friendly to the environment?

I’m not using any felled trees. These are all old stumps that have been reclaimed. The wood that I find is in barns. They’re in old restaurants. They’re part of bridges. They are just pieces sitting there, not being used.

It sounds like you had a prosperous career before as an engineer. Did you have any worries about becoming a full-time artist?

All the time. It’s a struggle, but I will persevere. Life is a journey, and it’s about the adventure that you have on your journey. And this is my journey.

CLARK Functional Art, Inc.

Address: 1630 Superior Ave, Building H

Costa Mesa, CA 92627 USA

Tel: (949) 375-1367

Website: www.clarkfunctionalart.com



Monday, September 21, 2009

Honduras Mahogany Trestle Writing Desk

Honduras Mahogany Trestle Writing Desk
Free-Edge Tall Tree Desk
with Polished Metal Trestle Legs
Includes single 3'' drawer with Honduras Mahogany Front and Sides
CFA Serial # 45
60''L x 29''W x29''H (~2'' Thick)
High-gloss Urethane Hardcoat Finish with UV protection


Thursday, September 17, 2009

Water-worn Live-edge Rosewood with Patina Steel Rectanglular Prim Base

Water-worn Live-edge Rosewood with Patina Steel Rectangular Prim Base
Serial #44
87''L x 34''W x 30''H, 5'' Thick
Indoor/Outdoor


Friday, August 14, 2009

Look for CLARK Functional Art feature in Beverly Hills Style Magazine in September 2009






Monday, August 10, 2009

Teak and Rosewood Hollow Cross-section Inlay with Stainless Steel Prism Base

Teak and Rosewood Hollow Cross-section Inlay with Stainless Steel Prism Base
CFA Serial #TBD
38x38''W x 17.25''™H (2.25'' Thick)


Teak with Rosewood Inlay and Gold Resin

Side Table
20''H x 20''W x 15''W


POM Hanging Lamp/Sculpture

33''L x 20''W x 20''W


Thursday, July 16, 2009

New CFA Letterhead and Decal




Monday, June 29, 2009

Red Hot Lava


Rosewood wth Makha Burl and Red Resin.
Recycled Steel Base
34''H x 18''W x 4''Thick
CFA Serial #42

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Old Tree Goes Heavy Metal


Ghost-wood Sculpture with Polished Metal Base and Butterfly
19''H x 16.5''W x 5.5''Thick

"Book-Matched Quads" Slab Table

"Book-Matched Quads" Burma Rosewood with Ruby Resin and Brushed Metal Base
28W'' x 28W'' x 16.5''H x 1 1/2'' Thick
CFA Serial #41


Tuesday, June 23, 2009

ASID / Orange Coast Magazine Home Tour 2009

Astoria Penthouse Living Room Cocktail Table

Book-match Teak Burl Tall Tree Table with Black Makha Hollow Base
52''L x 32''W x 16''H
CFA Serial #91

Showing at the ASID / Orange Coast Magazine Home Tour 2009 at the OC Astoria

Living Room Designer Frank Pittman











Thursday, June 11, 2009

"Rouge et Noir"


"Rouge et Noir" Teak Tree Trunk Cocktail Table with Ebony Buttterfly
~42''L x ~37''W x 18''H (Supports 48'' to 60'' Glass Round or Oval)
CFA Serial #39

A new inspiration employing dark sultry red and black.


Friday, June 5, 2009

Showing at Gina-B in the Laguna Design Center







Wednesday, May 20, 2009

CLARK Functional Art at 2009 ASID / Orange Coast Magazine Design Tour

Astoria Penthouse Living Room Cocktail Table
Showing at the ASID / Orange Coast Magazine Home Tour 2009 at the OC Astoria
Living Room Designer Frank Pittman

Book-match Teak Burl Tall Tree Table with Black Makha Hollow Base
52''L x 32''W x 16''H
CFA Serial #91

Monday, May 18, 2009

Reclaimed Teak Slab Cocktail Table with Mirror Metal Legs


Teak Tall Tree Cocktail Table with Polished Metal Mirror Legs
60''L x 26''W x 17.5''H (3'' Thick)
CFA Serial #35

The metal mirror legs reflect the light in such a manner that the table seems to be floating. The table is enforced with 4 polished metal butterflies. Salvaged old growth teak from demolished barn and house in northern Thailand.



Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Live-edge Flamewood Slab Table

Live-edge Flamewood Tall Tree Table with Polished Metal Trestle Legs
CFA Serial #34
10'L x 32-33-29-31''W x 30''H (3.75 ''Thick)

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Rosewood Live-edge Tall Tree Table

Created from a beautiful live-edge slab of Thailand Rosewood.

Rosewood Live-edge Tall Tree Table with Polished Metal Prism Legs
CFA Serial #33
74''L x 42''W x 18''H (4.5'' Thick)

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

CLARK Functional Art entryway console at 2009 ASID / Orange Coast Magazine Design Tour




Monday, April 27, 2009

Custom Honduras Mahogany and Polished Metal "L-Desk"

I made this custom Honduras Mahogany and Polished Metal "L-Desk" per the specifications of a special client.


Thursday, April 23, 2009

How I cut big slabs...

Seven foot chainsaw with slabbing guide attachment


Monday, April 13, 2009

David Yurman Ghostwood Jewelry Display


In collaboration with David Yurman, over the last year I created over 100 Ghostwood Burlwood Jewelry Displays for 19 David Yurman stores in the US and Internationally. These displays are on show at David Yurman Beverly Hills CA on Rodeo Drive


Thursday, April 9, 2009

Showing at the ASID / Orange Coast Magazine Home Tour 2009

Showing at the ASID / Orange Coast Magazine Home Tour 2009 at the OC Astoria
April 21st to May 17th.

Astoria Penthouse Entry Hall Console -- Designer Rick Campos of Christopher Tracy Interiors

See www.asidocc.org for tickets.


Friday, March 27, 2009

Showing at the ASID /Orange Coast Magazine Design Tour 2009






Thursday, March 26, 2009

Honduras Mahogany Free-edge Tall Tree Table/Desk with Polished Metal Trestle

I created this Honduras Mahogany Free-edge Tall Tree Table/Desk
with Polished Metal Trestle for a client in Laguna Beach CA.


Thursday, March 12, 2009

How did my Logo get here?

black
black - by zanet on Polyvore.com

Monday, February 9, 2009

Stylehive -- Rosewood Table

Rosewood Table with Ebony Butterfly Inlays - dining room furniture - rosewood dining table - modern furniture Stylehive BM 400056 #:400056

Friday, February 6, 2009

Old Growth India Teak and Burma Rosewood Cocktail Table

Old Growth India Teak and Burma Rosewood/Narra Cross-section Inlay with Polished Metal Legs

Reclaimed Teak Slab was found in fire damaged home in Thailand
64.5''L x 30''W x 17''H (3.5'' Thick)



Thursday, February 5, 2009

Custom Slab Tables up to 15 feet long

Create these tables up to 15 feet long and 4 feet wide...
Honduras Mahogany with Polished Metal Trestle


Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Acacia and Black Resin

I create these Acacia and Black Resin Burl art pieces to any size and color such as Ruby red and Topaz blue.




Friday, January 23, 2009

Free-edge Tall Tree Table with Polished Metal Trestle

Honduras Mahogany Free-edge Tall Tree Table with Polished Metal Trestle
89''L x 29.25''W x28.5''H (2'' Thick)
Sizes up to 15 feet long







Ink Blotch Teak Tree Truck Art

I created this Ink Blotch Teak Tree Truck Art using reclaimed Teak and resin.

27'' x 29''






Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Polished Metal Butterfly

This piece highlights my signature "Polished Metal Butterfly". I create all sizes of custom piece.

Reclaimed Old Growth Teak with Polished Metal Butterfly High Table







Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Teak Burl Tree Trunk Table

The Burl of a tree trunk possesses a beautiful swirling grain that has movement similar to the flow of water in a fast moving creek.

Create from a massive reclaimed teak tree trunk of a tree fell long ago.

Created for a client in Newport Beach.









Reclaimed Teak Tree Trunk Table with Old Growth Teak Legs

~45-55" Diameter x 16''H (~6.5'' Thick)




Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Magnificent Makha Burl Dining Table

This Makha Burl Dining Table and a matching Makha Burl Cocktail Tail were created for interior designer Tammy Dawson. Tammy has just completed the interior of a spectacular home in Big Horn Palm Desert for which these pieces were created. This home is to showcase in the Big Horn Home Show on November 29, 2008.

Makha Burl Hollow with Polished Metal Feet and 72'' Glass Round Table Top


Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Makha Burl Tree Trunk Cocktail Table

Custom Makha Burl Tree Trunk Cocktail Table with scallop cut glass and high-polish metal legs. Designed for designer Tammy Dawson and client residence on Big Horn Golf Course in Palm Desert CA.

Makha Burl
46x41'' Diameter x 20''H


Monday, August 11, 2008

2008 CHOC Chairs for Charity Event & Auction, "Where the Wild Things Are" Chair, September 21, Orange Coast Art House

ASID Orange County Chairs for Charity, debuting September 2008
in Orange County, is a unique and creative fundraising event based around unique, highly valued chairs designed and created by ASID Orange County Interior Designers. These one-of-a-kind collectible chairs will be on display at selected Orange County
locations to pre-promote the fund-raiser and then auctioned at a
Benefit Event with all proceeds going to Children’s Hospital of Orange County Foundation on September 21.

The actual 2008 ASID Chairs for Charity Event & Auction will take place, Sunday, September 21, at the Orange Coast Art House at Covenant Hills. More than 250 people are expected to attend this fundraiser for CHOC Foundation. CHOC Foundation Guild members will be invited to attend this 4-hour event which will feature Food, Entertainment and the auction of the Chairs.

For more information click 2008 CHOC Chairs for Charity

Saturday, July 19, 2008

THE ART OF LIVING Reception August 7th

San Francisco Chronicle July 8, 2008

ID HOME is hosting a reception for the launch of their new initiative THE ART OF LIVING, a collaboration that features the works of the Bay Area’s best artists, designers and artisans on Thursday, August 7th 2008 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at 1125 Mariposa Street in Potrero Hill.

This concept is an idea of Alexandra Krueckl, who introduced Pierre Leduc and Nancy Arrowsmith, owners of two neighboring interior design stores, ID HOME and bimma loft to local professionals. “Thanks to the keen eye, experience and networking ability of Alexandra, who coordinated this group of incredibly talented and dedicated people, to showcase a variety of unique, high-quality, cutting-edge designs and artworks, we are now the source for high-profile architects and designers” says Pierre Leduc. ID HOME and bimma loft will permanently showcase:

  • Tony Clark’s, unique furniture creations made from responsibly reclaimed wood from Thailand
  • Dana Porteous of SkySide Studios’ innovative, sustainable designs
  • Leathersouth’s custom rugs and accessories
  • Sally Dominguez’ contemporary designs
  • The Woodshanti Cooperative’s craftsmanship
  • Feng Jin’s sculptures
  • Virna Low and Dan Heller’s photography.
“I’m excited to be able to help promote the local artistic community by providing a platform for them to gain exposure” explains Alexandra Krueckl. Elizabeth Charles is supporting THE ART OF LIVING by presenting her new Fall ‘08 fashion collections, in a stylish installation at the reception that compliments the other design pieces. “This is a great opportunity to support the local community and bring together people with a similar appreciation of high-end design.” “THE ART OF LIVING collaboration will continue to introduce cutting-edge, high-quality designers and artists in the future to our hip, sophisticated clientele.” says Pierre Leduc.

To RSVP to the event at ID HOME, please call 415.861.6668 or email info@idhomedecor.com
1125 Mariposa Street • San Francisco • 415.861.6668

For additional information on THE ART OF LIVING collaborators, please visit their websites:

www.CLARKFunctionalArt.com
www.danheller.com
www.dreamcatchersarts.com
www.elizabeth-charles.com
www.leathersouth.com
www.rainwaterhog.com
www.skysidesstudios.com
www.woodshanti.com
www.IDHOMEdecor.com
www.bimmaloft.com

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Gigantic Reclaimed Rosewood/Amboyna Tree Trunk Coffee Table

The brilliance and swirling intricacy of the burled wood grain is like fire. The old burl of this Burma Rosewood-Narra stump is called Amboyna; arguably the most coveted exotic wood in South-east Asia.

I found this very large rosewood tree trunk on the banks of the river Ping in central Thailand after the annual floods of 2007. I estimate the stump is over 2000 year old. Originally cut down a long time ago, the tree trunk sat for a very long time lodged in the mud banks of the Ping. It took a long time until the yearly floods finally washed enough of the mud away to make the root system accessible. It took a large crane, a tracker with a backhoe, a crew of men with shovels, picks, and chain saws, and a lot of hard work to dig out the remainder before it could be finally driven off to be rough cut and shipped to Costa Mesa CA.

Reclaimed Burma Rosewood-Narra/Amboyna Tree Stump
Glass
Center
Inlay
Brass Butterfly Joinery
8 feet Diameter, 9 inches Thick, 15 inches Tall



Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Evolution of a Pentagon Table

Geometry is wonderful! It turns out that 7 disks of the same size can perfectly surround an 8th similar disk. Well that’s nice, but I only had 6 disks, so 5 had to go around 1; the result, a pentagon. I still think it looks good.

This table is made of 5 Burma Rosewood crosscut disks surrounding a single disk. The Burma Rosewood crosscut disks have a star shaped hollow at their center filled with black high-gloss resin. The entire table is interconnected using the same high-gloss black resin. The base is inspired by the pentagon theme; it has a pentagon center structure that’s sides extends out forming a pentagon star. Ok enough of pentagons, take a look.

Burma Rosewood Hollows and Black High-gloss Resin
45''Diameter x 19''H
Serial # 96



Friday, May 23, 2008

Making a Square Tree

How do you make a round cross-section of a tree square? This is the puzzle solved by this Book-match Rosewood Table. The tree center is at the table corners, the table center is the outside of tree.

Light from beneath illuminates the ruby colored resin at the table center and natural occurring half-moon openings at the corners.




Burma Rosewood and Black Lacquer Geometric Base

28”W x 28’’W x 16''H x 1 1/2'' Thick



Thursday, May 8, 2008

Sunset Sculpture

Sunset was inspired by the natural form of this teak hollow that has a burl that burst out from the center and flows outward in waves. The red center is a ruby colored resin that glows from back light. The rays emanating from the side are made of polished golden brass.

Old Growth Teak, Polished Brass, Ruby Resin
34''L x 19''H x 3.5''W




Thursday, April 3, 2008

Price List Available Online

Upon the request I have added pricing information in the CLARK Functional Art Catalog on my website www.CLARKFunctionalArt.com.

As you probably have found out, the big well know companies such as Hudson Furniture Inc, Ralph Pucci, Mimi London, Chista, etc. charge more then twice as such as I do. Most of these companies also buy wholesale from people such as myself, but you would never know it.

Home Accents -- Burmese Rosewood Burl Bookends

I have created a new "Home Accents" line of home furnishing. In this category are various art objects for the home such as bookends, bookshelf art sculptures, table top sculptures, and more. You can view these pieces along with pricing in the catalog on my website.

These Burmese Rosewood Burl Bookends can hold up the largest of book collections.

26''Length x 8 1/2'' Height x 6'' Wide
Custom sizes and wood types available

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Swirl-of-the-Burl

I created this Teak Burl Book-match Coffee Table from the crotch of a very large reclaimed teak tree stump. The crotch of a tree is the portion of the tree that divides the tree into two large branches or roots. It is very solid wood that possesses the "swirl-of-the-burl"; the dense burl growth that provides the immense strength required to support the tree's vertical growth.

Book-matching is a wood milling technique that produces two pieces of wood with matching grain; the two pieces are then joined such that the wood grains mirror each other.

Old Growth India Teak
Table Top 52 inches L x 31 inches W x 2.75 inches Thick
Table Height 15 inches (Can be customized to any height)

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Custom Burl Art Sculptures with Polished Metal Pedestals

I make custom Burl Art Sculptures for a variety of clients. I use beautiful pieces of reclaimed exotic woods and salvaged metal. I have one client that uses custom Burl Art Sculptures to display jewelry. Each Burl Art Sculpture is individually sized to be framed by the display window as per the customer's specification. Jewelry is displayed on the wood sculpture hanging from various points.

Makha Burl
15-17'' inches Diameter x 24'' Height

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Teak Driftwood Sculptures

I create a variety of aesthetic natural-form exotic wood sculpture constructed out of salvaged driftwood, tree trunk hollows, and recycled scrap metal. The wood is polished and finished to bring out the fire of the burl/grain. The metal is use to create a strong base and support. The metal is re-milled and polished to a brilliant shine.

Friday, March 14, 2008

OC Philharmonic House of Design

This Old-Growth India Teak Coffee/Cocktail table was made on consignment for the 2008 OC Philharmonic House of Design April 22- May 18, 2008. It will be displayed in the Entry Loggia by Chameleon Designs of Newport Beach, CA.

The table is made from reclaimed old-growth teak salvaged from a derelict farm building outside of Hong Dong, Thailand.





Old Growth India Teak

Table Top 42 inches L x 28 inches W x 3 inches Thick
Table Height 15 inches (Can be customized to any height)

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Large and long Burma Rosewood "Book-match" Dining Table

Book-matching is a wood milling technique that produces two pieces of wood with matching grain; the two pieces are then joined such that the wood grains mirror each other.

This Large and long Burma Rosewood "Book-match" table has the seam of the book-match joined with dark Rosewood butterfly inlays. The butterflies join the two matching Rosewood planks, each 9 feet long. The legs are constructed of Acacia wood; a very popular and beautiful wood used in Hawaiian wood carvings.

Burma Rosewood and Acacia
9 feet L x 32 inches W x 2 1/2 inches Thick x 30 inches Tall

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Makha Driftwood Sculpture

Beautiful Makha Driftwood Sculpture for contemporary patio or garden.

Makha Driftwood
30-44'' Foot-print x 4' Height


Tuesday, March 4, 2008

East Indian Walnut Cocktail Table


This cocktail table is made from a very old slab of East Indian Walnut. This particular piece casts off a natural dark green tone. It has beautiful live-edge sides; the cambium which is the light part of the wood between the tree bark and central hardwood provides a beautiful contrast to the dark green center. The legs are made of old-growth India Teak and also have a live-edge and contrasting cambium.

This particular piece of wood was very difficult to work with because of its sheer density, hardness, and weight. It was so difficult to work with that it burned out and ruined one of my best saws.

East Indian Walnut (Taukkyan) and Old Growth India Teak
Table Top 67 inches L x 25 inches W x 4 1/4 inches Thick
Table Height 20 inches (Can be customized to any height)

Monday, March 3, 2008

Rosewood Dining Table with Ebony Butterfly Inlays

I made this large Burma Rosewood table using Ebony wood butterfly inlays to provide a beautiful accent and additional strength. The legs are constructed of Acacia wood: a very popular and beautiful wood used in Hawaiian wood carvings.

Burma Rosewood, Acacia, Ebony
84 inches L x 54 inches W x 2 1/2 inches Thick x 30 inches Tall

Saturday, March 1, 2008

East Indian Walnut Tree Trunk Conference Table

Could you envision this magnificent piece in the middle of a grand hotel lobby?

This very large East Indian Walnut table is a work-in-progress (I will update this entry as work progresses). The final piece will have large over-lapping circular Rosewood burl cross section inlays filling and cleaning up the jagged burnt out end sections and holes. The top will be finished to bring out the brilliance of the grain/burl. The edges/sides and base will remain natural. I found this wood in Central Thailand in the back of a barn covered with plant over-growth and mud.


East Indian Walnut (Taukkyan) Table on Pedestal
120 inches Length x 60 inches Width x 4 inches Thick x 30 inches Tall

Friday, February 29, 2008

Custom Glass Table Tops

Custom Glass Table Tops Sizes with Custom Bevels and Thicknesses -- 1/2 , 3/4, and or 1 inch

Rounds

  • 48" Diameter 4 - 6 people
  • 60" Diameter 8 - 10 people
  • 72" Diameter 10 - 12 people
  • 96" Diameter 12 - 14 people
  • Large available
Rectangular/Square
  • 4' x 30" Banquet 6 (using ends) people
  • 6' x 30" Banquet 8 (using ends) people
  • 8' x 30" Banquet 10 (using ends) people
  • 4' Square 4 - 6 people
  • 5' Square 8 people
Anything else...
  • Larger sizes custom glass available
  • Custom oval and ellipse glass table top available
  • Custom shapes available -- Bean, Egg, Paisley, Flower, etc.

Makha Burl Tree Trunk Table

Here is a Makha Burl Tree Trunk Table base I found near the upper part of the river Ping. The Makha tree is an exotic hard wood from the old Siam region of Northern/Central Thailand. It is prized for its burl or as the Thai people call the “pom”. This piece is approx. 300 yrs old: it was reclaimed after the 2006 seasonal floods from the river Ping. The base supports a custom round or oval glass table top.

Makha Burl
Table Base -- 41 to 34 inches Diameter x 28 inches Height
Custom Glass Table Top


Thursday, February 28, 2008

Best of OC - Greer’s OC


Best of OC - Greer’s OC

See my Teak Tree Burl Art at Studio Chameleon in Newport Beach CA.

Teak Table with Rosewood Burl Inlay

This cocktail table is very cool. I enjoy incorporating all types of inlay work into my pieces such as wood burl, metals, and glass. The inlays are beautiful as well as functional; they hide defects in the reclaimed wood such as natural/man-made holes, burnt sections, and dents.
I built this table using a large reclaimed old growth India Teak slab inlay with Burma Rosewood burl cross-sections. The inlays were required to hide/fix damaged burnt sections in the teak slab that were incurred during it's previous life. I found this teak slab in an old wood carvers compound in a small town about 50Km south of Chiang Mai, Thailand. I don't know for sure, but it is likely that the wood was salvaged from a fire damaged house or other building. The legs are made from cross-sections of a large Burma Rosewood hollow.

Old Growth India Teak and Burma Rosewood/Narra
Table Top 30inches W x 64 1/2 inches L x 3 1/2 inches Thick
Table Height 13 1/3 inches (Can be customized to any height)

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

CLARK Functional Art

CLARK Functional Art creates works of functional art from ancient fallen trees and reclaimed woods of Northern Thailand. Treasures hidden long ago are rediscovered and transformed into works of beauty. Count the rings! Some trees are over 500 years old

Master-craftsmanship
Ancient and contemporary home furnishings are created from solid exotic woods including Teak, Makha, Rosewood, Acacia, and Ebony. The wood is inlay with re-enforcing “butterfly” joinery of brass, stainless steel, and other exotic woods to enhance beauty and strength. Master-craftsman detail and finish brings out brilliance and fire of the wood.

Green/Eco-friendly
All CLARKFunctionalArt wood is reclaimed. Fallen long ago and found washed up on the sides of rivers, along old forgotten roads, or part of an old barn. I travel the countryside looking for old muddy tree trunks and reclaimed wood from abandon buildings. The locals are glad to find a buyer, someone to haul an old tree off their farm or road. Rough cut and washed of mud the wood is shipped to Costa Mesa, CA. Once it arrives it is cut to specification, sanded, finished, and polished. Once complete, a treasure is rediscovered.

Custom Designs
Having difficulty finding the perfect piece to fit into your dining, living, or conference room? Have a custom piece of art created to your specification. CLARKFunctionalArt designs and builds custom works including conference tables, dining tables, coffee tables, entryway tables, outdoor tables, and art displays.

Showroom/Viewing
Come visit my studio on the border of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa or feel free to contact us for more information. Appointments for viewing are available daily.

Trade and wholesale pricing available


CLARKFunctionalArt
1630 Superior Ave., Building H
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
(2 doors down Commercial Way
from Superior Ave)

Telephone: +1 949 375-1367
FAX: +1 949 209-1947
email: info@CLARKFunctionalArt.com
www.CLARKFunctionalArt.com

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Giant Makha Burl with Old Growth Teak Base

Found this very large Makha wood tree trunk in central Thailand along the River Ping. The stump was approximately 6ft Diameter x 6ft Tall (see picture below). This piece is approx. 350 yrs old; it was reclaimed after the 2006 seasonal floods from the river Ping. It has a drift wood appearance being worn by many year of being along the banks of the Ping.

The Makha tree is an exotic hard wood from the old Siam region of Northern Thailand. It is prized for its burl or as the Thai people call the “pom”.

The tables I have made from this magnificent tree trunk range in size down from the piece being used in the table above 74''L x 44''W x 8'' Thick. The table is designed to accommodate a custom glass top of various size and shape.

The legs are constructed of old growth teak that I found on an abandoned beaver farm about 20km toward the mountains from Hong Dong, Thailand. I don't know if I believe it was really a beaver farm but that was the owner's story; perhaps the translation came out wrong.

Old Teak Tree Trunk Burl Art with Soild Steel Stand

I found this Old Teak Burl washed up on the River Ping in Northern Thailand. The tree is approximately 150 years old not including the time it was buried in the mud shore banks of the river Ping. The solid steel base is made from re-cycled steel rod that was previously used in early 1900’s era Los Angeles high-rise building construction.

35inches Diameter x 48inches Tall

Other wood types and sizes available


Coast Magazine August 2007, page 58


Coast Magazine...

OC artist Tony Clark creates works of functional art from old fallen trees of Northern Thailand, a region that has the strictest requirements for wood export. An old teak tree trunk that was once washed up on the side of a river may be transformed into one of CLARK Functional Art's one-of-a-kind tree trunk tables and sculptures, which are made to order at the Costa Mesa studio. In addition, to teak tables, there are rosewood tree tables, old Makha side tables, hand-carved teak panels and teak coffee tables. Shown here is a teak Tree Trunk Table that retails for $1500.
Call (949) 375-1367; www.CLARKFunctionalArt.com








Live-edge Exotic Wood Tables


I make custom Live-edge Exotic Wood Tables of reclaimed Rosewood, Old-growth Teak, Paduak, Makha, and other wood types.

Here is a Burma Rosewood Dining Table with Live-edge Indian Walnut Legs. Made of reclaimed wood from old tables found in a back-road restaurant in central Thailand.
40"W x 80"L x 30"H

Monday, February 25, 2008

Eco-friendly and Green

What is it to be Environmentally Responsible, Eco-friendly, and Green? For me it is only using reclaimed and recycled wood. All the wood I use was cut down a long time ago, reclaimed from a previous use, blown-over by a storm, or washed up by a flood. Further all my wood is certified by the Government of Thailand for export .

Fallen long ago and found washed up on the sides of rivers, along old forgotten roads, or part of an old barn. I travel the countryside looking for old muddy tree trunks and reclaimed wood from abandon buildings. Reclaimed wood is wood previously milled and used in the past for things such bridges, piers, barns, houses, and furniture. In actuality, there is much reclaimed wood; the difficulty is in identifying and retrieving the wood. Once found, the locals are glad to have found a buyer, someone to haul an old tree off their farm or road.

A Thai Government Trade Certificate must be obtained for possession and transportation of all exotic hardwood. Exotic hardwoods from Thailand are tightly control by the Thai Government Trade and Export Ministry. Government check points along all trade routes and ports inspect all certificates and accompanying cargo. The Thai people care for and protect their forests very responsibly, I maintain the same ethic.