“For without the stands my paintings would be confined to a wall.” - John Diehl (b. 1982)
In late 2020 I moved into a new studio space that needed some essential improvements. That being proper lighting and the construction of a large wall to display my work while also providing a backdrop. In addition to displaying my large scale paintings on a wall I wanted to push the boundaries of exhibiting my work on stands that could be used both indoors and outdoors.
In May of 2021 after months of pondering the stand design I took a few scrap pieces of wood from a canvas build and laid them out on the floor. It was my Kitty Hawk moment as the foundation of the stand presented itself to me. Heavily influenced by aircraft design I leaned on one of my favorites, the F-117 Nighthawk. Combining the equilateral form and the Nighthawk led me to the first stand prototypes.
The design goals were clear. The stand needed to be functional and aesthetically pleasing without being overly distracting. They needed to be portable yet strong enough to hold up a painting under light wind conditions. Using standard 2x4 construction the stands started shaping into functional sculptures.
Stand No. 1, 2021 (Nighthawk)
Each stand is numbered in the order it was built. They are also given a working title in parenthesis. The Nighthawk stand which resembles the aircraft was painted in BLK 3.0, a light absorbing paint that creates the similar blackness of the radar absorbing F-117 Nighthawk.
Aloha, 2021 displayed on Stand No. 1, 2021 (Nighthawk)
Stand No. 2, 2021 (Pemberley)
Named after the fictional estate of Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, Pemberley has been the workhorse of the stands.
Aloha, 2021 displayed on Stand No. 2, 2021 (Pemberley)
Stand No. 3, 2024 (Wonder Boy)
The Wonder Boy stand was the first nomad stand that was designed and prepared in Massachusetts and assembled then painted in Palm Springs. The name was inspired by my favorite childhood video game on the Sega Master System. The exhibition location of Wonder Valley was the cherry on top.
Flamingo, 2024 displayed on Stand No. 3, 2024 (Wonder Boy) in Wonder Valley, CA