Everytime I wanted to invite someone over for lunch or to play, I've been stymied because there is no place to sit and eat or work. No dining table, no living room furniture. Recently, I purchased a new living room set from a friend. All I needed was a table. Let me correct that, since I do have two (yes two) dining tables. All I needed was a table I could be happy with. As it is, one table is in my ArtStudio, aka the insanity prevention room. One table is in my garage - because everyone needs a dining table in their garage, don't they?
The bigger problem was that I never seemed able to find the "perfect" table. It had to be the right size (small enough to fit, yet big enough to work on), the right shape (?) and have the right look (different from anyone else's.) I actually tried building my own table by jury-rigging a tall, square oak end table with a round table topper gleaned from a friends throw-away pile. It was the first table I'd had in my dining area in over a year, but it just wasn't meant to be. It was too small, the topper kept coming off and I didn't want to put nails or screws into the end table, as it would be forever ruined. I knew something had to give.
The answer was staring me in the face all along. I didn't like the look of my round oak table, the one that had been living in the garage for the previous five years. Yet I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it. I tried giving it away, I tried selling it. No one bit. It's a great table, very sturdy, well made, with an extension. It served me well for years, it was just so traditional and oak (my least favorite wood.) I saw and loved a black painted round pedestal table in the Crate and Barrel catalog. My table wasn't quite as elegant in design, but it was round and it did have a pedestal. Still, painted black it would just look like an old table, trying to masquerade as something new. And, it wouldn't be unique. I needed a solution. Inspiration hit in the form of one of my favorite artists: Jackson Pollack. So now I'm going to give you, dear reader, a first glimpse of my table. The Pollackinization of the table has just begun. It needs many layers, but this will give a glimpse of what I'm going for:
This is just the first layer. After many, many more, I'll paint the rim and edge black and seal it with polyurethane. The base has already been painted black. Of course, the entire table may end up covered in paint. It's a work in progress. Come over and play with me. Use my table to create your art work. No drop cloth needed. Add to the lovliness that is to be.
