The autry museum. California Cont’d Road Trip Room. 2016

The Autry Museum commissioned me to design a 26′ bench for their Alcove Room as part of the October 2016 reopening of renovated galleries. While my wife Suzanne created a six-hour dual-projection film featuring California landscapes—Joshua Tree, Big Sur, Redwoods, Mt. Whitney, and Death Valley—visitors experienced the work while seated on the bench. Though indoors, the design draws on outdoor bench construction, using weather-resistant steel coatings and durable oak to evoke a natural setting.

The bench’s oak slats were steam-bent, a demanding process allowing only about 30 seconds of flexibility before the wood hardened. Handling the hot, pliable oak required speed, strength, and protective gloves, making the process intense—something like glassblowing but more chaotic. The final piece: Red Oak “Outdoor” Bench, laser-cut steel with anti-corrosive enamel, steamed red oak, 26′ wide, 36″ high, 18″ deep seat, 40″ overall.