Creativity Runs in the Family

Robert Rudd, my grandfather and and source of inspiration.

Robert James Rudd. Courtesy of Florida State Archives/Florida Folklife Collection. Photo by Peter Roller.

Robert James Rudd (1926 - )
1997 Florida Folk Heritage Award

Robert Rudd (Bronson) is a third-generation cypress furniture maker. Born in Boynton Beach, Rudd grew up in rural Palm Beach County when cypress was abundant in the wetlands. As a boy he helped his father, Roosevelt, who used local mangrove and cypress woods to make chairs and small tables. After serving in the Navy during and after World War II, Rudd turned to construction and lathing. He lost much of his hearing working in noisy environments, so he returned part-time to helping his father make furniture. In 1966 he began making furniture full-time in a workshop adjacent to his cypress wood home in Lake Worth. In the midst of housing developments and polo grounds, his land was an oasis of untouched natural south Florida.

Rudd’s art is grounded in his knowledge of Florida wetlands. Although cypress was once common in south Florida, development curtailed access to it by the 1980s. In order to acquire wood, the Rudds often journeyed 270 miles to north central Florida—their truck loaded for the weeklong trip with a chainsaw, machete, winch, wading boots, rope, and a gun to kill snakes. Although the process was arduous, Rudd proclaimed, "I'd rather be in the woods than anywhere else." In 1989, the Rudds moved to Bronson to be closer to the cypress swamps and a more rural lifestyle.

The curves in cypress furniture are possible because of the wood’s flexibility and strength. Making chairs requires the cypress to take several forms: benders, or pliable limbs curved to make the arms and back; poles to frame the chairs; and switches, or small branches to fill in the back. To start a chair, Rudd peeled the park off each piece with a machete. He cut the poles into lengths for chair frames with a radial arm saw, then rounded the ends with a jackknife. The length of each piece was cut to measurements that the Rudds had established over many years. Rudd hammered the frame together with galvanized nails. He pre-bent the benders in a clamp to ensure the proper curve of the back and arms, then nailed them to the frame. Finally, he bent the switches into the chair to create the seat and back, then secured them with brads. Rudd branded his name into each chair frame, then burned off any loose cypress strands with an acetylene torch.

Rudd enjoyed experimenting with dimensions and styles. He made his furniture to order, and took great care in every detail from harvesting timber to finishing the piece — he wanted his furniture to last. Rudd also wanted the tradition to last, and he passed along his designs, skills, and love of the craft to his grandson. Rudd also participated in the Palm Beach County Folk Arts in Education Program, Florida Folklife Apprenticeship Program, Rural Folklife Days, and the Florida Folk Festival.

5 Ways to Nurture Your Inner Fire

March 21, 2009
Agni - The Hindu god of fire and guardian of humanity
Our digestive powers or “fire”

Given the crucial role of agni to health and well-being, how do we keep our inner fire burning brightly? The essential step is living life more consciously, making choices that nurture the flow of life energy, while minimizing those that deplete it.

1. Unconditional Encouragement. A simple way to make more healing choices is to ask yourself whether you would encourage someone you love unconditionally to have whatever experience you are considering. Follow the example of a conscious, loving mother who only wants her child to eat nourishing food, engage in loving relationships, and avoid situations that create unnecessary distress.

2. Unclutter Your Life. Your inner fire is weakened by having too much wood or “stuff” in your life ― too much debt, too many financial commitments, too many complicated, demanding relationships, and too much clutter. Consciously survey your life and ask yourself, What am I carrying with me from the past that is no longer serving me in the present, and what would I like to bring into my life that I have previously neglected?

3. Rest, Exercise, and Meditate. Balance your activity with rest by having a regular meditation practice and getting replenishing sleep each night. Learn a healthy sleep routine here.

4. Practice conscious eating. Practice conscious eating. Your digestion is affected by the conversations at the table, your environment, and your mood when you eat. If you’re having an argument or watching a violent TV show, your stomach will knot and your digestion will be disturbed. To extract the most nourishment from your food, never eat when you feel upset. Create a settled, peaceful atmosphere for your meals, eat only when you’re hungry, and choose fresh, organic food whenever possible.

5. Get regular detoxification treatments. No matter how consciously we live, modern life exposes us to a variety of toxins that deplete our digestive power – from pollutants in our food, water, and air, to the more subtle toxicity of negative media and the hyper-stimulus of cell phones, Blackberries, and the Internet. To keep agni’s metabolic power strong, it’s important to get regular detoxification treatments. Consider giving yourself the gift of Panchakarma – a powerful Ayurvedic therapy that releases toxins from deep within the bodily tissues, clearing away physical and emotional residue and leaving you feeling renewed and rejuvenated.

Here and Now

Thinking about the past or worrying about the future is a waste of time. It only takes us away from the importance of the moment we're in.

Today, continually bring yourself into the here and now. Look at life as if it were your last moment. Appreciate each breath, each interaction, each person you meet. Make the most of it!