Eliot Childress, Dōzukuri (STUDENT 2025)

Student:

Tertiary

Name of school or tertiary institution, name of woodworking teacher (if you have one), and name of photographer:

Center For Furniture Craftsmanship, Aled Lewis, John Shelley

Country

United States of America

I have been practicing Japanese archery for the past 6 years and felt it was time to upgrade my equipment. Typically in Japanese archery, the quiver remains in a separate room from which an archer will take two arrows at a time with their hand before entering the shooting hall, allowing for more harmony within the hall. Japanese archery is entirely about harmoniously and gracefully handling the tension that exists within the curves of the bow, which relies upon something called "dōzukuri". This is a step at the beginning of every shot wherein you ensure that your entire body is positioned correctly: your feet are properly spread apart while the rest of your body stands tall with a sense that you are being pulled towards the heavens. This feeling of securely rooted elevation is what I hoped to evoke with my piece. The quiver stands straight and dignified, hovering above the ground to create a sense of nobility, while the subtle curves echo those of the bow that draws one’s eyes towards the sky. Thus, the whole object serves as a reminder of the foundation of my shooting, as well as the dignity with which I must comport myself as I begin my practice. The primary requirements for my design were to make the quiver echo the curves of my bow that stands behind it, and for it to be removable from the stand with no remaining artifacts and to hover above the ground when attached to the stand, something I’m happy to have accomplished. I love the other-worldly presence this brings to the piece.

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