I could not have thought of a better way to celebrate George Nakashima’s 111th birthday than driving to the Nakashima studio in New Hope, Pennsylvania, so this is exactly what I have done today. Visiting Mira, Soomi, John, and everyone at the Studio is always a great pleasure and an aesthetic experience that I have enjoyed for many years. George Nakashima came into my life when I was in my early 20s, a young college graduate. We visited him and fell in love with the man, his allure, and furniture. It is when we began buying pieces, one by one, each unique, each has lived with us ever since, each has come to play an important part of our lives. Traveling to New Hope has always been a surprising venture, and selecting wood for the furniture, thoughtful, meditative, and educational process. Nakashima has become present in our home, and was soon to be found everywhere: from the kitchen to the living room, from the kids rooms to the bathrooms. We have lived with these pieces, raised the family, had endless dinners, parties, and crafted our lives living with his crafted furniture. There is something humble, yet witty and sophisticated and so well designed in his furniture that once you begin living with it, it is hard to part from it. Happy 111th birthday, George Nakashima.
