Spring Drive in Texas

Spring not only reminds us that life sprouts, blossoms and blooms from the seemingly dead, desolate and dry earth, but that love, too, seems to be renewed this time of year. Many equate Spring with new love. The fresh green leaves, brought alive from the Spring rains and bright sunshine, make the heart glad, flutter and skip a beat. Spring comes a little earlier in Texas than in other parts of the world, so I share this poem about a Spring Drive in Texas. Though I wrote this poem a few years ago, it was inspired by a drive from Fredericksburg, Texas to Fort Worth. I made the same drive this past weekend and this poem came to mind. May the word pictures make your heart glad and may love be renewed in your heart.

Spring Drive in Texas

Sea of green, waves of blue
Rocks of red and purple hue
Fields of gold, and dreams of you.

Trees cast shadows but never doubt
They shelter, shade and wave about
Love fresh, in blossom, as new leaves sprout.

A breath, a breeze, a gale, a gust
Windmills spin and squeak from rust
Spring blows in and with it, trust.

Clouds of cotton dot the sky
Birds uplifted glide and fly
My spirit soars and you are why.

By Design

How intentional are you about the furniture you live with, live on, live around? Are most of your furniture pieces hand-me-downs from Parents, Grandparents or friends? These could be wonderful, well-made antiques, or they may just be old! What does your furniture say about you, your style, your personality? Do you like the message? Does it say anything at all? And, how does it make you feel? Welcomed? At home? Warm? Or, cold and removed?

When you have furniture designed and made just for you, it can add that personal touch or style, tie together the randomness of other pieces, bring comfort or warmth that may have been lacking, or just add a practical functionality that you have needed. Whether it is a Dining Table and set of chairs, a hall table in your home's entry way, or that Bed that you have always dreamed of, the design, style, construction, wood color, finish are all important elements to the desired end result.

When a client contacts Rex about a piece of furniture, the design process starts immediately as Rex formulates a mental vision of the piece and considers its function and construction. He will discuss the style desired, what will fit within a space or fit in with other pieces. He will discuss types and natural colors of wood. The wood and other materials are selected. Will there be accents of brass, stone, leather or glass? These details move the process further along the design path. Photos showing lines, shapes or colors that are pleasing to the client help to shape the initial drawing of the piece. Additional drawings will be produced to refine the details until the drawing represents the desired end product in form and function. A bid can then be produced based upon all of the elements that will be included in the custom piece.

Are you ready for Rex to design and build a piece of furniture for you now? Contact him through this site, or through his website, www.rexwhitecustomfurniture.com !

Keep Breathing

Perhaps it is my age. It seems that in my own family, and in the families of many near and dear friends, parents, siblings or close friends are dying. This is the most natural thing in the world and it will happen to each of us one day soon or possibly later. The more people I know who die, the more I am aware of my own mortality.

Spring is a wonderful reminder to us, every year, that something is born out of every death. In the Winter months, when the trees are bare, the ground is brown and the skies are gray, it seems as though everything is in hibernation, sleeping, holding its breath. In the seasons before, as seeds drop or are blown and scattered, they come to rest in the soil. Waiting. The rains come, the sun shines and the seeds wake up and sprout. New life is awakened. All the earth takes a deep breath and feels alive once again. It is the most natural thing in the world.

Life continues. Babies are born. Healing happens. Grace, acceptance, forgiveness, appreciation, faith. I am where I am supposed to be. I learn from each life that touches mine. God has awakened me. I keep breathing...

Keep Breathing

As long as I have breath, keep breathing
Until life ends, and end it will
Keep breathing
Breathe in death, for clarity
Breathe in pain, for understanding
Breathe in beauty, for humility
Breathe in joy, with appreciation
Breathe in love, to complete your soul
Breathe it all in, until breath no more
Breathe in now, feel it fill your lungs
For as long as I have breath
Keep breathing.

Furniture Philosophy

Rex's first experience at building was in rural Alabama doing barn raising and house repair. His hands-on interest and skill were further developed at the University of Alabama where he received his Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, served as an officer in the Army Corps of Engineers and then as a Manufacturing Engineer for Corning Glass Works. Rex then attended the Wendell Castle Workshop, school for furniture making and design in Scottsville, NY.

From this background, Rex developed his philosophy about building furniture:
"When I think about building a piece of furniture, there are several things that are foremost in my mind. First, as a piece of furniture, it must fulfill it's design function (ie. a chair must be comfortable and stable). Second, the best construction methods should be used so that there will be many years/generations of trouble-free use. Third, since the largest part of the cost of building a piece of furniture is the labor, it is wise to get the most out of that cost by using only the best materials and hardware. Lastly, I give the same attention to detail to the bottom, back and inside of a piece as I do to the easily viewed/touched surfaces. Based upon my background and training, the first things I focus on are the function of the piece and how to build it. Almost without exception, all of my commissions have been designed around a function. Be it a desk, a bed, a bookcase, or a fireplace mantel, the client has always come to me to fill a need. Based upon the function of the piece, I then determine the best construction and joinery methods for the piece - mortise and tenon, dovetails or frame and panel - whichever joinery will allow for wood movement and provide the strength and durability needed for the use of the piece."

Dance

Over this past weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity of going to Houston to see one of my two professional ballet dancing nieces, Elise Judson, dance in the Houston Ballet Company performance entitled "Masters of Movement." It was a wonderful combination of three compositions, The Leaves are Fading, a lovely lyrical piece by choreographer Antony Tudor; The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, a fast spinning and energetic selection by choreographer Forsythe; and, Soldier's Mass, a moving and poignant dance, performed by all men, by choreographer Jiri Kylian. Each selection was masterfully and beautifully danced, speaking a message to and "moving" each individual audience participant. These choreographers and dancers were truly "masters of movement!"

Dancing is a wonderful means of expressing mood, emotion, story, metaphor, energy, life. And, just as dancing expresses life, life itself is a dance. Each person responds personally and individually with their own dance. The question is, will you dance? As Lee Ann Womack says in her song, "I hope you dance."

Dance

I am standing in the middle of a large dance floor.
I am alone.
I am waiting.
For what?
For the music to start?
For my dance partner to return?
For my body to start moving?
For someone, or something to tell me to start dancing?

The music is there, I can hear it, always.
My dance partner is in me, in my heart.
My body knows the steps, the movements.
God has breathed the inspiration.

The dance has already started.
So dance!
Others may join in
Or I may dance alone.
But at anytime, and in any place
The dance is.
So dance.

The Ocean of You

One of the most beautiful places on earth is the Gulf Coast of Florida, often called the "Emerald Coast." This is the Destin, Fort Walton Beach area. Growing up in California, I was not familiar with this area until I married Rex, who is from Alabama. Everyone in Alabama knows about the Emerald Coast. This was Rex's sister Linda's favorite place in the world. It is a slice of heaven. Sugar white sand beaches, clear and brilliant turquoise water, bright sunshine, stunning. It is one of America's best kept secrets. I have been to the Caribbean and it has nothing over the Emerald Coast in the beauty department. Linda always wanted to retire there. And, it will be her final resting place. At her memorial service yesterday, one of my poem's was read in honor of her:

THE OCEAN OF YOU

I will let go, I am ready
For I know the direction I am heading
All of my rivers flow into the ocean of you.

I may drift, I may flounder
But the current will urge me onward
The moon and stars will lead me, into the ocean of you.

If I try to cling or push, impatient
I'll miss the glory of the ride
Over rocks, through twists and turns, into the ocean of you.

The salt of my tears, of my sweat
Make me but thirst for your cool refreshment
Draw my heart and soul, into the ocean of you.

I will let go, I am ready
I know where my life is heading
All of my rivers flow into the ocean of you.

Custom Furniture - FAQs

How do I commission a piece of custom-made furniture?

Review his website, making notes of things you like, ie: color/type of wood, shape/style of piece, any size constraints based on your particular location.
Contact Rex either via e-mail - rexwhite@rexwhitecustomfurniture.com or phone 830-997-2873 or 830-456-6658 and describe your desired piece of furniture.
Rex will communicate with you regarding your piece, its design, specifications, shipping, total cost and scheduling.
You decide to commission a piece and send a deposit to get the work started.

How do I know what type of wood I want?

Rex can help you with this by sending small samples of the wood types you think you'd like. His hand-finished surfaces bring out the superb natural beauty of the wood. So it is best to select a wood for it's natural color as opposed to staining it another color.

What if I know exactly what I want made because I've seen it in a picture, in a magazine, in a museum, or in someone's home?

Great! Rex can replicate your desired piece from your photograph and can even suggest modifications to suit your particular lifestyle or home.

How long does it take to make a piece of custom furniture?

That depends upon when you order your work, how complicated the design, and how many other pieces are in the queue before you. You can keep track of your piece's progress via e-mail.

How much will it cost?

The cost for custom furniture includes the cost of the materials, the design negotiations, the hand labor and personal attention to the details of your piece, and the distance it must be shipped/installed. Custom furniture is functional art. Expect to pay more than you would from a retail store.

Let us hear from you! Have Rex build you the special bed, dining table and chairs, desk or rocking chair that you have always wanted!

The Gift

Rex's sister, Linda Payne, died yesterday after surviving several years following a heart transplant. Such losses cause us to pause and to reflect upon the gift of life and the promise of what will come after this life. I know that though the broken shell of the body has fallen away, that the spirit continues to live in us and around us. Today, I share with you The Gift.

The Gift

In the midst of sadness and solitude, God came to me and revealed to me an image…of hope, of joy, of love, of fulfillment…the image of a gift…a gift of His own choosing, given freely, but in His time.

God has prepared this incredible gift. It is all wrapped in a beautiful box, covered with shining silver wrapping that glows and reflects sparks, flashing in His light. The gift is tied together with the softest loops and folds of a bright green satin ribbon…as green as the freshest Irish meadow, like flowing green waves as far as the eye can see.

This gift is such a delight to all my senses that it draws me forward, hands reaching, heart longing, soul aching. Yet God holds this gift just out of reach…like the most dazzling of gifts tempting the eyes under the Christmas tree, I must wait expectantly for the right time – for Christmas morning – it is not yet time to unwrap this gift.

What God does, however, is to draw me yet closer to Him and, through His eyes, gives me a peek inside the box. In fact, as He opens the lid ever so slightly, out flows the spirit of the gift – swirling around me, wrapping its arms about me and filling me with it’s light. I have sensations of goodness, of warmth, of safety and security, of truth, of the most complete love and, for the briefest of moments, I feel whole, my life makes sense, my soul connected. But, this is just a glimpse. I cannot hold onto this breath, this wind that has touched my skin, my face, my heart, my core. Although it brings me life and at once takes my breath away, it is now but a promise, a faith, a trust and, as much as I want to, I cannot hold onto this gift. Not yet.

God says I must wait. He is not teasing me, He is not cruel…quite the contrary. He wants me to know how very much He loves me. I am His beloved. He wants me to love the Giver of the gift more than the gift itself. Yet, He wants me to know the promise of the gift, what is in store for me, and prepare me for that most glorious of moments. On that bright Christmas morning, when the lights bring life to the Christmas tree, the sparks fly and crackle in the fireplace, the aromas of coffee and baking waft from the kitchen, He will finally say, “It is now time to unwrap the gift, taste the sweetness, drink in the goodness. And it will be indescribably delicious. For this is my gift to you, my Beloved, my faithful, my patient child.”

So I will wait. So precious a gift. So worth the wait.

Tales about Rex

Rex began working with wood in 1981, training for two years under Wendell Castle in Scottsville, New York. He then worked under cabinetmaker, Boris Wulf and designer/craftsman, C. Stuart Welch in California before moving to Fredericksburg, Texas in 1986 to open his own custom furniture business. Rex has received regional and national attention for his craftsmanship and individual styling, winning "Best in Show" among other awards in the Texas Furniture Makers Show in Kerrville, Texas over the past few years. He has had articles featuring his work in Woodcraft Magazine (July 2005), Woodworker West (March 2005), Texas Highways Magazine (January 2004), and Metropolitan Home (March 2003). Rex's furniture can be seen at Artisans at Rocky Hill gallery in Fredericksburg, Texas and at Gremillion and Company gallery in Houston, Texas and by appointment (830-456-6658) at his Fredericksburg, Texas workshop.

If you have a question about furniture building, types of wood, furniture repair, joinery, or anything else regarding furniture craftsmanship, please post a question on this Blog!

A Hatchling

Welcome!
This is the birth of our new blog, "White Dove Tales." This is a dual play on words as this is a dual blog! In this blog, there will be posts from Rex White, an established professional Furniture Designer/Builder (hence, dove "tails" - a common form of joinery in his creations) and Mary Lou Cunningham White, a budding writer/poet, who seeks to bring a sense of peace and connection through her writing (dove "tales.") Here we combine our talents and share them with you! Whatever your artistic interests, you may find something of inspiration or resonance here. For more on Rex's work, visit http://www.rexwhitecustomfurniture.com/

We start with a poem. This was my (Mary Lou) first poem, written a few years ago and aptly named (for this blog), The Dove.

The Dove

The flutter in my heart, I stop…then start
To realize the life, the breath, the gift, the part
You play in my day, my night,
My air, my flight
Uplifted…Peace.

The brush of the wind, I hear you in
My head, starts to spin, on my face…a grin
The memories, the laughter,
The giggles, then after
Uplifted…Peace.

The song in my soul, I listen…the roll
Of thunder, the power, the depth, the shower
Of blessings, shake my world,
Break the sky, love unfurled
Uplifted…Peace.

The whisper of prayers, I am stirred…He cares
About us, about pain, through the rain, He dares
To open me, open you,
Soar within, Spirit true,
Uplifted…Peace.

The rustle of wings, I rise up…heart sings
About you, about Him, about joy, about things
Too wonderful, this love,
Breathless life, your dove,
Uplifted…Peace.

We wish you peace this day.