Bio:
David Orth was born in Dallas, Texas. Since his childhood David Orth has resided at length in Texas, Costa Rica, Guatemala, North Carolina, and Chicago. Growing up in foreign countries gave the young David daily access to ancient Mayan ruins, and friendships with astonishing craftsmen that worked without electricity or store bought tools. Since 1972, Orth has lived and worked in the Chicago area. Orth is recognized as one of Chicago's top furniture artists, as an innovative educator, and a furniture industry designer. He is a member of The Furniture Society and the Chicago Furniture Designers Association (serving on its board of directors from 1999-2004).
Orth's furniture & sculpture has been featured in museums and galleries since the early 1980's. DAVID ORTH & VORTEX DESIGN: 4 GENERATIONS, 1 SINGLE THREAD, a special focus of the Chicago Athenaeum's NEW CHICAGO FURNITURE VIII, featured Orth's work, apprenticeship program, and the work of his graduates at Vortex Design. FURNITURE OF THE 90'S selected Orth as one of 25 American furniture artists and was exhibited in New York at the Franklin Parrasch Gallery and in Houston at the American Society of Furniture Artists.
In college and graduate school, David took a road less traveled by artists and received two degrees in philosophy. Surprisingly, this ‘detour’ took him right to the heart of design and craft issues where he had the time to discover the essential connections between thinking, living, and building. Orth believes that art is an opportunity to understand something important about life. For him, furniture - the sculpture we all live closest to - is a thread of connection between our ordinary, daily life and the insane immensity of the universe. David strives for a fresh architecture that needs little decoration and does not track popular trends. Each design is an effort to reach down below the surface of busyness, superficial amusement, and group behavior that vex our daily routines. He is searching for something more delicious and haunting - a flavor, or a scent you almost didn't catch. David often draws his clients into this enjoyable discovery process. The furniture and sculpture that result are broadly appealing and satisfying.
Testimonials:
In its heyday, the cranky "New Art Examiner" ranked Orth's furniture among the "most sophisticated work, displaying an articulate, loving sense of craftsmanship drawn from the past ...sustained conceptually by...humor and personal vision....highly sensual...finely tuned...consistent...truly 'art furniture.
'"WBEZ Chicago Public Radio singled out Orth's tables at the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture & Design observing that, "they really occupy that space between 'what is furniture?' and 'what is art?' and they don't in any way take advantage of cow spots or carved palm trees or some of the art furniture stuff we've gotten so used to. Really very, very beautiful work." (Victoria Lautman)
Lois B. Gries, a past president of the American Society of Interior Designers, Illinois Chapter, endorses Orth's approach: "I have worked with David Orth very successfully over some time. My clients are very impressed with the originality, timelessness and quality of his functional art. His work is uniquely his own style and works so well in any environment. I am easily able to communicate with him as to my clients' needs and he never fails to deliver a design that is beautiful, appropriate, and on time."
Marilyn Davis ASID, IIDA, of Marilyn Davis Interiors, whose own work was recently celebrated in Chicago Home & Garden Magazine says:, "Professionalism is the operative word in working with David Orth. His follow-through and timeliness are admirable. As an interior designer, I appreciate the artistic integrity with which David adapts his designs to specific sites."