For my aesthetics exploration I have chosen to explore the world of live edge epoxy furniture that has become a unique aesthetic found in may peoples homes. What I find interesting about this particular aesthetic is the unique combination of art and function that this form of art provides. I personally have made a few epoxy tables and understand the extensive and detailed amount of work that this aesthetic requires. Although this has been a recent phenomenon, one of the most iconic wood workers George Nakashima has made these epoxy river tables as early as 1960 (2). The breadth of what can be done with live edge epoxy is essentially endless, but for me I find its use in home decor to be of the most interesting. With the advancement in polymer science, epoxy has evolve from a common building material to something that can be formed to any shape, be polished to a glass like finish, and be food safe to be used as a sealant for dinner tables. Below I have added a few examples of home decor which incorporates the beauty of my aesthetic of choice, live edge epoxy.

The above image is by DouglasPayneDesigns (1) which illustrates the unique use of epoxy to create the illusion of a purple waterfall which is falling off the side of this table. The great part about epoxy, which sets itself apart from other materials used for aesthetics, is that it has the ability to form to any desired shape; but when hardened, it becomes very hard and has a low risk for damage from use. This gives the artist the ability to create complex yet robust pieces such as the one above.

The above image is by Jeremy Elkins (3) illustrates another great example of this live edge aesthetic. For this particular piece you can notice how the use of detailed woodworking tied with the overall strength of epoxy, provides this artist to create the illusion of two separate wooden slabs floating next to each other.

The above images are also by Jeremy Elkins (4) and features the same technique used to create this rivers edge effect to create these pieces of furniture. Although similar, the epoxy in this image has added pigment which creates a depth to the aesthetic that adds a nice touch to the overall finish of this coffee table. Likewise, as seen in the furthest right image, he has also created a end table which when all put together creates a consistent aesthetic that will bring attention to ones living room.

The above image is by RachelCalderDesign (4) and features a dynamic addition to the live edge epoxy aesthetic. By implementing lights within this piece it bring this piece of art to life highlighting all the space-like colors in the epoxy as well as the wood grains it envelops. This is personally my favorite addition to this example of live edge epoxy as it has an infinite amount of color pallets that you can create to illuminate your piece of art.

Works Cited

(1) DouglasPayneDesigns, (2023, October 29) https://www.etsy.com/listing/1289513241/resin-waterfall-console-table-with?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_a-home_and_living-furniture-living_room_furniture-console_tables_and_cabinets&utm_custom1=_k_Cj0KCQiAh8OtBhCQARIsAIkWb685mrTQbLnSgDY9J2-qFbuernfT8Yob804bJd9M0MbfZtc_5KkmV5saAnPcEALw_wcB_k_&utm_content=go_12559942249_120251198780_506949425692_pla-306108643849_c__1289513241_469752059&utm_custom2=12559942249&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAh8OtBhCQARIsAIkWb685mrTQbLnSgDY9J2-qFbuernfT8Yob804bJd9M0MbfZtc_5KkmV5saAnPcEALw_wcB

(2) Doru, E. (2023, October 9). A journey through time: The fascinating history of epoxy tables. On Wooden. https://onwooden.com/blogs/news/a-journey-through-time-the-fascinating-history-of-epoxy-tables#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20most%20iconic,the%20concept%20of%20river%20tables.