Tables of Content

The Artistic Furnishings of David Cumming

After earning a B.A. in Philosophy, David Cumming began his craft by restoring lesser furniture (often salvaged) and then trading “up” for better pieces, learning about the nature of furniture construction in the process.

TOP: Pouffe No. 2 (low table), 2011—Black Chlorite and Italian White Alabaster top; taper-laminated Pink Ivory and Holly & Chechen base with Holly disk and Pink Ivory plate. The woods and the soft stone of this piece were glued with WEST SYSTEM Epoxy.

For many years Cumming has specialized, when restoring and making furniture, in techniques of wood lamination, which he feels results in both greater beauty and greater strength. The bent lamination technique is particularly useful to him for making wooden forms that require a thin, graceful line and, therefore, demand a maximum of strength with a minimum of wood.

David Cumming's Amboyna Burl Top Stand, 2007—Amboyna top with Cumaru and Black Locust Laminated legs with Pau Amarillo “claw” feet.

He typically uses WEST SYSTEM®105 Epoxy Resin® and 209 Extra Slow Hardener® with 403 Microfibers as a thickener. He laminates the legs of his tables over molds he has cut to shape.

Symmetry No. 1, 2007 by David Cumming—The White Oak Photos: Sally Cumming. legs of this stand are bent-laminated, utilizing WEST SYSTEM Epoxy.

Stand No. 1, 2010—The Holly and Ebony legs to this piece were glued with WEST SYSTEM Epoxy. The Black Chlorite and Holly top was also glued with WEST SYSTEM Epoxy. The base is Italian White Alabaster.

David Cumming is shown clamping coated laminations to a mold.

Cumming lives in Toronto, Ontario. Most of the woods used in these pieces came from Exotic Woods in Burlington, Ontario (also a WEST SYSTEM Dealer) and the stone was purchased at Sculpture Supply in Toronto. See more of Cumming’s work at articsokgallery.com.