The assignment was to create a one-of-a-kind chair for a charity auction, with the personal goal of being voted best chair. The competition included 30 entries created by 60 designers.

Inspired by Prince

The opportunity came to Randy Wolfe’s attention around the same time musician Prince passed away. As a fan, Randy was inspired to honor him through an avant-garde piece that combined philanthropy, craftsmanship, and creative expression.

Building the Symbol

Prince’s iconic symbol became the defining element of the chair, forming the curved back of the piece.

The curve was constructed from 1/8-inch laminations of bent poplar that were glued and clamped into a custom curved form. Once the laminated slab was removed from the form, the Prince symbol was shaped using a router and pattern. A large bullnose detail was added to the front and back edges for additional definition, followed by extensive machine and hand sanding.

Sculpting the Base

The chair’s base was designed to be substantial and capable of supporting nearly twice the anticipated weight.

It was built from stacked laminations of 3/4-inch Baltic birch plywood. The original form was first sculpted in Styrofoam to establish the shape and proportions. Once the prototype was complete, the wooden base was shaped using a chainsaw and electric grinder, a process commonly used in stack-laminated contemporary furniture.

Purple Rain

The purple crackle finish was inspired by Prince’s song Purple Rain, adding another direct reference to the musician and his legacy.

The back of the chair delivers one final surprise: a large-scale image of Prince’s face integrated into the design.

A One-of-a-Kind Piece

This one-of-a-kind chair was a joy to create and offered an opportunity to explore materials, techniques, and artistic expression in ways that don’t often appear in traditional custom woodworking.