Thas A Fact?

An exhibition of furniture, buildings and kitchens, by internationally known, Norwich-based Designer, John Barnard, will be held at the Norfolk Room, in the Narthex, St. John the Baptist Cathedral, in Earlham Road, Norwich until Thursday 25^th August 2011 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This exhibition celebrates a lifetime of furniture-making and design, from the early 1970’s to today, and illustrates such unique pieces as the ‘Mondrian’ chest, the ‘Victory’ table, and John’s current obsession: resin and wood, which uses the whole tree trunk including the bark and the insects – very environmentally and ecologically aware!

Kate Middleton’s recent wedding to Prince William revived memories of yet another Royal romance for John Barnard.  In 1981, ten years after opening his furniture workshop in his garage at St. Stephens Square, Norwich, Norfolk County Council bestowed on him the honour of designing the Council’s wedding present for Prince William’s Mum and Dad – Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.  He came up with the unique ‘Diana Willow Table’ inspired by the Weeping Willow tree.

John Barnard Furniture has gone from the simple ‘Lowline’ sofa – still made in Nairobi – into more complex and sculptural pieces, made of unusual timbers such as pippy oak, burr black poplar, ripple sycamore, with glass, steel, resin and granite, used in his kitchens, libraries, bedrooms and offices.  John’s engineering and furniture making background served him well in combining materials to use their strengths, but to avoid their weaknesses.

His client list includes corporations and public bodies, including UEA, Aylsham Library, Targetfollow Property Developers, Longleat and Reedham Church, as well as prestigious private clients spanning the globe from Canada to Australia, Bermuda to San Tropez via the Isle of Skye.  One commission – ‘furniture to celebrate the Battle of Trafalgar Bicentenary‘ – featured on the BBC ‘Flog It’ programme.  This can be seen on his website: www.johnbarnard.co.uk where he and Paul Martin discuss using the salvaged oak from Nelson’s flagship the ‘Victory’.  As John says ‘work on and eat off living history – stroke the oak which Nelson trod’.

John ‘s sketchbooks from the 40 years can be inspected and the ‘Flog It’ footage viewed at the exhibition.  His three ‘Guild Mark’ pieces from the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers will be illustrated.  John is a Liveryman who holds the chairmanship of the Bespoke Guild Mark Committee in London, and describes himself as a Furniture Engineer of bespoke pieces and the built-in environment who has just won the ‘Bermudian’ magazine Interior Design Award for his doors on a client’s house in Bermuda, his fourth project on this delicious island.  His glass staircase and small buildings will also be illustrated during the ‘timeline’ of his 40 years as a furniture designer-maker.

John will give short lectures on his favourite career highlights.

Additionally, the famous sculptress Barbara Leaney is showing her unique, uplifting creations made from the earliest stage of the growth of trees.

(Words: John & Jacquie Barnard).