Bob and Mary Zimmerman
We’re both native Californians and lived in the Bay Area for a number of years. During that time, we sailed around San Francisco Bay and had great views of the Golden Gate Bridge. We mainly thought of it as a stately embellishment to a lot of fantastic sunsets and a driving option to get into the City. That all changed in 2018, when we both ended long careers in biopharmaceutical drug development to become owners of, and hands-on fabricators for, Strands of History.
Creating and designing furniture and art is vastly different from drug development, but we utilized transferrable skills such as identifying experts in the field, delegating responsibilities, and we learned a lot of new skills. When we sought out help or advice, it surprised us how often we would hear a personal story about the Golden Gate Bridge or people’s connection to San Francisco. That enthusiasm was the fuel to keep learning and to move our vision forward.
We took welding classes, read many books and articles about how the Golden Gate Bridge was built, the history of steel, and metallurgy. We perfected how to remove and apply paint, learned to grind, polish, and wax metal. Then we learned how about e-commerce and social media. After months of hard work we were able to re-launch the company, complete with a newly designed logo and purpose. Our philosophy when we took ownership of the business and these historical suspender ropes, was to create something that was beautiful, inspired, functional, and enduring. The memento pieces are simple yet iconic experiential display works. We want the furniture and interior design pieces to have architectonic flourishes reminiscent of the engineering and design found on the Golden Gate Bridge.
We are fortunate enough to work with Bushey Ironworks and Roundwood Furniture. Both groups are well-known in the Tahoe area and beyond for their innovative designs and attention to detail. When we moved the shop to Kings Beach, we were fortunate to be in the same building as Bushey Ironworks. The guys were so helpful when we were starting out, from unloading the truck, to operating the forklift to purchasing steel. We would see their designs and really wanted to work with them.
Through the Busheys, we met Andy Cline of Roundwood Furniture. Cline’s name had been given to us by a number of people so when we were ready with our first coffee table design, he had the perfect recommendation of wood species to compliment the forge-welded legs.
Bushey Ironworks
Jesse Bushey and his brother Aaron Bushey have been instrumental in transforming the salvaged steel ropes into statement pieces. Both brothers were introduced to blacksmithing in their home state of Vermont and took separate paths to learn the trade, pursuing lessons from expert smiths across the US and Europe. In 2010, Jesse and a partner struck out on their own forming Striker Forge. When Aaron arrived in California in 2012, he joined the team at Striker Forge and in 2017 they created Bushey Ironworks.
Jesse has had many significant projects as far afield as the Four Seasons hotel in Aman, Jordan, for which they built intricate and airy room dividers, and as close to home as the dozens of Tahoe houses they have adorned with a wide array of ironwork styles. Architects and designers seek out Bushey Ironworks for their ability to manipulate steel into something that is both functional and beautiful. Jesse and Aaron recently put their blacksmithing art to the test in the Austin Blacksmithing Contest where they took first place. We appreciate that their innovative designs are diverse and perfectly detailed. Visit their website at busheyironworks.com
Roundwood Furniture
Born and raised in Homer, Alaska, Andy Cline spent his most influential and formative years in an environment where nature clearly served as one’s teacher, guide, and wondrously powerful provider. In 1993 he moved to Tahoe where he worked as a freelance wood artist creating exotic woven branch handrails. In 2000 he opened his own company Roundwood Furniture. With over 60,000 hours dedicated to learning and developing his craft, Cline has achieved mastery status in his work. In selecting wood for a project, Cline ensures that the wood is either eco-harvested, sustainably grown, or indigenous to the United States. Preferring to let the wood “speak for itself”, Cline does not use any stain or grain enhancers. Cline’s first move was to set the tone of the collaboration by suggesting Claro-walnut for its inherent beauty as the grain cascade waterfall seen on the edge mimics the flow of the wire ropes. The fact that the ropes and the walnut are about the same age (over 80 years old) just adds to the appeal of the tables as it brings together two rare materials. Subsequent designs have benefitted from Cline’s extensive knowledge and deep appreciation for wood species and the character they can add to a design. Visit Cline’s website at roundwoodfurniture.com
