In this episode of Bonus Make! we continue our conversation with Ellie Richards, a furniture designer, sculptor and teacher who is currently a resident artist at the Penland School of Crafts.

We talk with Ellie about her project “The Highboy’s Understory: Deconstructing the Icon” in which she examines the Winterthur, Delaware Museum, Garden and Library’s collection of high chests and other related forms.

Richards plans to incorporate this research in a new line of work that responds to and reflects on the many stories, about race, class and society as embodied and embedded in these iconic furniture forms.

Join us as we crack open and unpack the grand and flamboyant 17th century high boy with maker Ellie Richards.