Artist: Eberhard Eichner
Artistic reinventor of furniture and creative trim work
While growing up in Berlin, Germany in the 1950’s and 60’s, fixing, mending and making “new-out-of-the-old” was a part of Eberhard’s daily family life. While in college, he transformed a door into a “forest” by furnishing it with things collected from the woods surrounding the city.
Eberhard apprenticed as a furniture maker and finish carpenter before taking his trade to North America. He has since built and decorated pipe organ cases and their moldings. Custom furniture, doors, windows and trim has been his specialty. More recently he has turned to rescuing and fixing used furniture. He assembles different items in new custom furniture pieces and paints them with decorative motifs. Eberhard has been living with his wife and daughter in the Pacific Northwest since 1978 and in Whatcom County since 2002.
“My ideas com through inspirations from all cultures and ethnic sources,” says Eberhard.
Eichner has been installing window displays at The RE Store in Bellingham since early fall of 2010, using his own work as well as items from the store. His own used building materials come from The RE Store and other thrift stores. His artistic furniture and display pieces combine whimsical detailed beauty with utilitarian needs for homes and businesses.
His pieces are for sale, with pricing and contact information alongside his window display. He is planning on submitting designs to The RE Store’s 10th Annual Recycled Arts and Fashion Show to be held in April, 2011.
