In a world where furniture designers are often not furniture makers, James M Wiggins is an ­­exception. His work benefits from his 20-year experience as both designer and maker. James oversees the totality of the creation of each piece, from concept to completion.  In doing so, James, and the furniture he creates, celebrate the fully actualized achievement of the individual.

Born in the small town of Shelby, North Carolina in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, James moved to Atlanta at a young age. An artist and folk musician, Jay was at first unaware of any interest in furniture, but his opinions changed when he saw the LCW chair by Charles and Ray Eames. He was struck by the balance of design and functionality and found that he identified with the philosophies of 20 th Century Modernism. Like folk music, he enjoyed the idea that furniture could be stripped down to its simplest components and yet still be affecting and beautiful. He decided to learn the craft by apprenticing under Atlanta furniture maker Jack Harich before eventually opening his own shop.

James’ new body of work exemplifies the modernist concepts of form following function, of less being more, of an adherence to the honesty of materials and workmanship. Taken to its logical and beautiful extreme, the work is stripped of all superfluous elements. Doors and drawers are absent, considered decorative and unnecessary to the essential purpose of the piece. Every aspect of each piece is carefully considered, and is only included if it is crucial; there is no part that can be taken away.

James is aware, too, of a parallel between his work and the dilemma of the individual in society; how to be true, when so much is covered: substance hidden from view by the dictates of our culture. In our world so much is facade, and often what is behind that facade is corrupted. Mass produced furniture may impress on superficial inspection, but take a closer look and it becomes clear that it is merely a shadow of what is being portrayed. Often there is little or no design sense beyond what is believed will sell. Unsound materials hastily stained and/or painted to resemble a more refined and elegant species of wood. Decorative elements applied to cover, and draw the eye from, shoddy assemblage and improper joinery. James’ furniture on the other hand, is different. Solidly built to serve generations. Hiding nothing, naked and unashamed, it is totally exposed for what it is: A superb example of what furniture can aspire to.