BOQUETE STOOL



In August of 2008 Peter was hired as a consultant to supervise the installation of fish rearing tanks and technical equipment at a trout hatchery that was in the process of being built in the mountains of Panama, north of the small town of Boquete.  Immersed in an unfamiliar landscape and culture Peter was inspired by this “once in a lifetime experience”.  Very similar to a painter who finds himself on the South Downs of West Sussex, England for the very first time and feels the urge to put brush to canvas, Peter also had the need to express this trip by sketching new chair and stool designs.  For two weeks Peter absorbed the view, atmosphere, and taste of this small Central American country.  The experience started with the flight into Panama City and the trek across town to an old military airport to catch a small prop plane flight to David located near the northwestern mountains.   The town of Boquete lies another hour’s drive north and is located in a region of Panama known for its raging crystal clear rivers, exotic rain forest vegetation, unique wildlife, and incredibly steep mountain slopes planted with coffee bushes in-between the native flora.  An area where indigenous people,  dressed in their native garb, walk down from the mountains to shop in the town’s central market.
 
It was during a quite moment on a Sunday that Peter started sketching ideas for the Boquete stool as the daily afternoon rain shower moved slowly across the valley.  The lines of this stool are highly influenced by, and try to incapsulate, Peter’s short experience in Panama.  When creating this sculptured piece the desire was to lean towards the art in functional art more than any of his other designs.  The Boquete stool is the first “straddle stool” Peter has designed and built. This stool is to be sat on very similar to a bicycle seat with your legs off to the sides of the stool.  The flat area in the front of the seat is perfect to rest, or cradle a hot cup of coffee in the morning as you sit contemplating the day to come.  If the coffee in your cup is dark, rich and smooth it might have been picked from the same steep mountain slopes your stool was inspired by.


Cost  $1,350