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The May 2009 woodworking cover |
There
are some customers who consider Lee Valley catalogs to be collectors'
items. This is a great compliment to the designers, photographers
and other staff members who work on them and who strive to inspire and intrigue readers
with the high-quality images shown on the cover.
In fact, covers are considered to be more than just advertising
for the company; that's why they never feature retail products.
Instead, antique tools or the works of amateur
and professional woodworkers take center stage in the company's woodworking catalogs. But how does
it all come to fruition?
In the case of the May 2009 woodworking supplement cover that
featured the work of Canadian sculptor Lou Lynn, it was the
artist who originally approached Lee Valley president Robin
Lee. He put her in touch with Frank Schepens, director of the
publications department that produces the catalogs, who recalled
being impressed with her work. "I pursued it because she
had an interesting craft," he said.
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Artist Lou Lynn finds inspiration in the Lee Valley antique tool collection. |
The
artist has been known to find inspiration in industrial objects,
especially those of the past. "The sculptural qualities
of hand tools hold a particular fascination for me," she
said in her artist's statement. So, Ms. Lynn was invited to
visit Lee Valley's antique tool collection, composed of more than 10,000 individual pieces, to get ideas that she could apply
to an art series. Surrounded by the huge collection, she was
inspired to create what some may describe as fantasy tools made
out of cast bronze and glass. The shapes are familiar, but each
has its own distinctive twist, as per the artist's vision. |
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