Sam Maloof: War Photographs

[matthew blais]

I thought I would announce this to anyone in So Cal who might want to attend...

Sam Maloof, if you do not know the name, was a world renowned woodworker who passed away in 2009. I was fortunate to meet him several times, and photographed him and his exhibit at the Riverside Art Museum shortly before he passed.

WHAT you may not have known, nor did I, that he was a war photographer before starting his woodworking career...

So, the March Field Air Museum (Riverside) is having an exhibit showing 20 of his images on July 22 (opening reception). These are just inkjets from not-too-great digital files that I worked on for this exhibit. But a bit of history for you buffs...

Hope to see you there..

[Richard Wasserman]

I have admired Sam Maloof's furniture for years and never knew he was a photographer! I'm sorry I'm too far away to get to the exhibit. Any chance these photos will make it to a website?

[matthew blais]

I don't know Richard, I will suggest they add a page to their site...we'll see

They belong to the National Park Service, Alaska Regional Office

[Richard Wasserman]

I hope the Park Service does publish the photos as I think they would be of interest to many people. Certainly those who appreciate woodworking and photography. They must be of historical value also.

[Ed Richards]

Interesting. I know his woodwork, and I periodically think about giving up LF and taking up woodworking. Any other ex-LF photographers who became woodworkers? (I do not do both because I am under the one expensive hobby at a time rule.)

[Jan Pietrzak]

Matt,

Good for you. Sams' work, along with his archives are a great work to the people of Southern California. I did have a chance to get to the old house/studio before it all got move to the new location. He was true California Artist.

Jan Pietrzak

[Curt]

The premier woodworker.

Last night I used some Sam Maloof satin finish on a wood camera project. His chair design is a historic classic. Pres. Carter had him make one for him. Carter is a woodworker himself.

Photography and woodworking is as common as photography and musicians.

[Daniel Stone]

someone above mentioned being a "LF" photographer. I'm sure that if he was a "war photographer" today, he'd be using a Nikon or Canon DSLR to document things in the same fashion he used the Graflex pictured above.

Just sayin, he used the tools of the time, and that "standard" was a 4x5 Graflex for press/correspondence work

-Dan

EDIT: My freshman year of high school my woodshop teacher(I live about 20mi west of Maloof) invited him(Maloof) to come and lecture on a Friday afternoon, with a small demonstration of his techniques, in our school shop. Unfortunately, he became sick(this was late 2002) and wasn't able to make it. I'm still kicking myself for not going out under my own steam to take one of his shop tours. I love his work, and the utter simplicity(and "natural" design) of his pieces, both commissioned and personal. My woodshop teacher admired his work so much he told us about how he bought a dining table and matching chairs from Maloof back in the early 80's. I'm sure that'd be work a pretty penny these days!