17 Nov xom fine woodworking comes to Pioneer Square

Who: xom fine woodworking (Matthew Richter)
What: A three-month “pop-up” gallery featuring original furniture designs
Where: 610 Second Avenue, Seattle (one block north of Smith Tower)
When: Opening reception Thursday, December 2, 2010 from 6 pm to 10 pm
Regular gallery hours Fridays through Sundays, 11 am – 5 pm
Also open by appointment

xom fine furniture gallery is coming to Pioneer Square this December as part of the Storefronts Seattle program. The gallery opens on December 2, and features the original furniture designs of Matthew Richter and the turnings of his father, Morton Richter. An opening reception will be hosted from 6-10 pm. As this gallery is part of the “pop-up” Storefronts Seattle program, it will run for three months and then disappear. Openings of new work will take place on each of the First Thursdays the store is open.

Since 2005, Matthew Richter has been custom-designing and hand-building fine furniture for private clients including Lawrimore Project, On the Boards, and 4Culture. This will be the first public showing of his work. Matthew is somewhat known for his work in the Seattle contemporary arts scene. He is a feature writer and former theater editor for The Stranger, in addition to publishing features nationally for over a decade. He founded and was executive director of the much-loved Consolidated Works contemporary arts center in Seattle. He lectures on the state of the arts at the University of Washington, Seattle University, and Cornish College of the Arts. He is the  recipient of the Seattle Mayor’s Arts Award and the RUDY Award for nonprofit director of the year. He produced and hosted 14/48: the world’s quickest theater festival for a decade, and has directed three mainstage productions for On the Boards. Art in America magazine called him an “arts visionary.”Matthew learned woodworking from his father, Morton Richter, an avid hobbyist (who, in turn, learned old-world woodworking from two gruff, alcoholic, German craftsmen in New York City in the 1950s). The two have collaborated on dozens of projects, and we are proud to present recent turnings (bowls, platters, and vessels) from Mr. Richter senior in the gallery.