XY chair
wood,paint, steel chain / 2003 25.5H × 23.5W × 21"dTwo chairs with a short chain. Three legged chairs are only stable with one leg in the back. Created after a conversation with a gallery owner, who suggested to my wife I be on a short chain.
Learn more about David
- About
David Fobes entered the world in 1953 with his identical twin Clark. Being an identical twin has informed much of his work in the last 40 years. David earned a BA in Environmental Design in 1978 and an M.F.A. in Furniture Design in 1994, both from San Diego State University. David was fortunate to study furniture design with AOD recipient Wendy Maruyama from 1991 – 1994 at SDSU.
He joined the faculty in the School of Art and Design at San Diego State in 1994 and taught studio courses in Design until his retirement in 2020. He has been an active member of the San Diego Arts community since 1981 and has exhibited his work regionally, nationally and internationally and has also curated a broad variety of projects throughout his career. His work is in both private and public collections. David continues an active studio practice and is currently working on a 50 year retrospective of his work, that will be at the Oceanside Museum of Art in Spring of 2027
- Region
- San diego, CA
- Website
- misterfobes.com
- Medium
- Wood and mixed media
- Professional Status
- As professional as possible
Portfolio
X-CASE
1" douglas fir plywood / 1985 64"h × 32"w × 16" deep (each case)These are works from my first solo exhibition at the Patty Aande Gallery in San Diego in 1985
I have built multiples of this design. Based on a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood with no waste.
Despite looking unstable, they are in fact in equilibrium.
X-Desk
various plywoods and enamel paint / 1986 30"h × 60"w × 24"dDesk for a Produce executive. A simple desk for a young executive of San Diego Produce. In 1986, I was living in the produce district of San Diego and had to befriend the produce guys, they ran the streets.
Vacillate
Poplar, Milk Paint, slipcast porcelain / 1996 31"h × 57"w × 16"dOne of many three legged oval tables with slip cast ceramic vases. The legs unscrew from the table top allowing for flat pack shipping. I shared a studio with the well know ceramic artist Jeff Irwin. Jeff showed me how to make molds, cast the slip and fire.
Ruffrider
Black Walnut and Milk Paint / 1997 30"h × 25"w × 24"dThis chair was built during a Spring concentration at Penland as an instructor. The Black walnut was sourced locally to Penland.
Sideshow
Milk paint and Mahogany / 1999 24"h × 48"w × 24"dWhen my twin and I were maybe 14, we attended the San Bernardino County fair, The Orange show. This was the sixties and the sideshow tents had all kinds of human anomalies. Con-joined twins were featured and I found them very disturbing.
Love the one you're with
acrylic paint on wood / 1996 29 × 46 × 21A simple bench, with a complex finish. 1996 was the year I married my wife after ten years of being together.
CHARM
wood, acrylic, brass and rice paper / 1996 44" × 28" × 14"Charm — a freestanding cabinet originally intended as a liquor cabinet. The painted treatment continues onto the back. Although the piece was sold through a gallery, its subsequent sales history is somewhat mysterious, and I no longer know its whereabouts.
XY chair
wood,paint, steel chain / 2003 25.5H × 23.5W × 21"dTwo chairs with a short chain. Three legged chairs are only stable with one leg in the back. Created after a conversation with a gallery owner, who suggested to my wife I be on a short chain.
Library Chairs
Early 20th century production oak chairs and analog library cards / 2012 32 × 48 × 24 inLibrary Chairs
Two found chairs, conjoined and covered with analog library checkout cards from the La Jolla Athenaeum Music & Arts Library in La Jolla, California. A chair for reading and a chair to be read.
Collection of The La Jolla Athenaeum.
Morphosis
wood and bulletin enamel / 2019 28" × 42" × 42"Wall Hung Table. One of many I have made over the years. Inspired by the Shaker wall hung chairs. A threaded hanger bolt is used to attach legs to the table top and are stored in the hanging device, behind the table.
If I agreed with you ..We would both be wrong..
cardboard paper shooting targets, floral wall paper / 2022 34.5h × 38.5w × 19 dA cardboard chair that will support to large humans. Designed for a specific exhibition “Crossing the Line” , looking at cultural borders.
Mobius Laborious
vintage paint-by-number paintings and wood frame / 2024 23.25 × 32 × 0.25 inNot a piece of Furniture, but a piece from the body of work “From the Land of Sky Blue Waters”. The works incorporate completed vintage paint-by-number paintings and frames I create specifically for each piece.