Being:Art

Final table update before delivery.

I sprayed 3 coats of General Finishes 2k Poly over their nutmeg gel stain. If it’s unfamiliar to you, 2K is a water based polyurethane that uses a catalyst that makes it dry extraordinarily hard. It’s a perfect final coating for anything that will have heavy use but needs extreme durability. Not unlike epoxies and automotive paints.

Full cure in 5 days then we will deliver and install the table in its permanent home… I think the final weight is going to be approx 170lbs!

Music is The Mighty Souls from 1yr ago today for Sean Murphy year long daily practice.

Latest table update: we had delays related to the heat and cupping issues that we resolved with heavy duty C Channrls but today we finally got to stain the top!

72 hour dry time and then we can start applying finish and then some more drying time before installing the legs and delivery!

For those interested we’re using General Finishes Gel Stain (nutmeg) for the stain and 2k Clear Poly for the final finish courtesy of The Woodwork Shop right here in Memphis!

Soundtrack is a guitar solo by Logan Hanna on James Brown’s “Ain’t it Funky Now” from a The Mighty Souls performance a few months back!

Table update: we took a couple weeks off from the table we’re working on to focus on our production & custom instrument making projects (Fun Studio at Memphis Botanic Garden is officially open so if you’re in Memphis be sure to check it out!)

But we’re back at it this week with the finish line in sight! Yesterday was almost exclusively about sanding… lots and lots of sanding! And of course Joie the

Music is At Last performed by 𝐉𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐘 𝐒𝐇𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐂 Octocats at a wedding reception a few months back!

Table update. The top is almost completely flattened. One more pass tomorrow and it’ll be done so we can move on to the less dirty aspects of making a table!

Music is from a recent hot Memphis quartet gig…

Table update! We just finished assembling the two halves of the table top. Tomorrow we plan to do final assembly on the top. Then the final cuts, flattening the slab, & finishing work can begin. But jointing and gluing up these 32 pieces of mahogany is the most physically demanding part of this so Sean is glad to be nearly done with it!

Music is a snippet of handpan improvisation by Sean… and not unlike something you might experience on 8/2 at his Sound Journey at the Green Room at Perhaps you should head to crosstownarts.org and get a ticket for the show!

The lion’s share of the installation is complete for the new “Fun Studio” in My Big Backyard at so here’s a little sneak peak!

A set of Bourbon Barrel Drums (thanks for the barrels!), a custom version of our production diatonic marimba, & a repurposed upcycled set of conduit wall chimes. All with their own custom mounted mallets that we are now manufacturing ourselves (with some mentoring from Dinesh at )!

The instruments sound great, the space feels great, & and can’t wait for you to enjoy them! The space will officially open August 8.

A couple weeks ago we had some drummer colleagues come out and test the new barrel drums, built from whiskey barrels, and they all loved them! Here’s a little sample of Tom Lonardo giving them a go!

We installed them this week at the new (modeled on ) at that will be opening in August!