Sneak Peek: Curves Ahead

By Maria LaPiana 

Leah Woods has long been known for her handcrafted furniture, mostly cabinets, desks and tables; now there’s a new dimension to the Portsmouth, New Hampshire, artisan’s work. While her functional pieces have never been short on beautiful curves, she’s now creating forms that “allude to the sensuality of the body and the beauty of materials.” As such, her latest work isn’t intended for use so much as to be experienced.

The master woodworker shares insights into her inspiration—women’s dress forms and undergarments—in the next issue of New England Home. The article, in which Woods waxes poetic on her artistic journey (she says she felt the siren song of abstract forms for many years) is richly illustrated with photos of her curvaceous and thought-provoking work.

The March–April 2014 issue of New England Home will be available on newsstands beginning March 18.

Clothe Cabinet (2006), cherry, maple, fabric, 54″H × 11″W × 10″D. Photos by James Schuyler

Detail from Off Course (2014), white oak, ash, 60″H × 60″W × 18″D. Photo by Lisa Nugent

Untitled #3: Dress Form in Mahogany (2011), mahogany, red oak veneer,
51″H × 28″W × 28″D. Photo by Mark Johnson