Redkey woman keeps on caning (11/21/07)

REDKEY - While a 21st Century computer sits temporarily idle in a nearby corner of her workshop area only inches away, Judy Conn is busy practicing a craft which traces its origins back to medieval China.

It's a mild autumn day and sunshine from a nearby window floods into her small but cheerful workshop-computer-music rehearsal room, as she labors to fill a customer's order. The computer is used for Internet and eBay purposes, but on this particular morning it is "sleeping," awaiting the completion of her latest chair caning repair project.

Judy is one of a select few arts and crafts enthusiasts, skilled in the ancient art of chair caning. At one time she had a small shop in downtown Redkey, but now she is semi-retired and works in what was formerly a back bedroom of her home.

Only a few years ago, she closed her shop, The Chair Canery, planning to retire, only to have her loyal customers plead with her to reconsider.

People were asking, "Couldn't you do just one or two more projects," until she hung out a sign again, officially going back into business.

Although a chair with a woven-cane seat or back may look fragile, it is surprisingly sturdy and can hold up for decades. The craft was introduced to America in the 17th Century, and while craftsmen are continuing to make such chairs, repair work is also in big demand.

The craft is time-consuming, sometimes requiring as long as 12 hours to weave a seat for a single chair..

The cane most commonly used for chair seating projects is known as rattan, which grows in tropical areas. Tools to complete the work are relatively common and simple and include such items as a penknife, small hammer, scissors or side-cutters, a pliers and small pegs which resemble golf tees in appearance.

"Not too many people do this professionally," Judy said. She said there is a man in the Muncie area who also does this type of work, but they are not really in competition. She said he told her that he was about a year behind on his orders.

"I've never been a year behind," she said.

"I do mostly chair seats now," she said, adding that in the past she has done some larger projects but lacks the space for that at her present location. At one time, she also had a wicker repair shop section, she pointed out, adding on occasion she will still do some relatively small wicker repair jobs.

Doing the wicker work is her biggest love, she said.

She starts her wicker project assignments by taking photographs of the items and then taking them apart and carefully putting them back together and making repairs at the same time. "I love to do wicker furniture," she said.

But caning was what started her in the furniture repair business.

She first got interested in chair caning about 20 years ago. At the time a well known local artisan, Bill Lee, was teaching classes on the subject in Muncie near Ball State University.

"I did six chairs in six weeks while everyone else in the class did one," she recalled. Lee encouraged her to go into business.

"The biggest success came because I love doing it so much, and I love working with people," Judy said.[[In-content Ad]]