Unique Wood Sculpture That You Can Sit In

How often are you encouraged to sit on a painstakingly crafted work of art? Well, if you're talking about the wood sculpture of Kevin DesPlanques, then odds are you won't just be admiring these pieces—you'll also be using them.

DesPlanques works out of his home studio in the small Colorado town of Mancos, and even when he tries to design a non-functional piece of wood sculpture, his mind eventually finds a way to make it functional anyway. "I think it's great to make a piece of art that you can not just enjoy looking at, but also a piece that you can sit in."

DesPlanques uses a technique called stack lamination, which entails gluing wood pieces together to get a rough outline, and then using different grinders, files and tools to sculpt the pieces into their final shapes. Take a look at some of his seating pieces below.

(Above) Sculpted bamboo table; DesPlanques will be casting this piece in bronze this summer.

Sculpted bamboo foot stool.

"Opus Chair" made from purpleheart, birch, yellowheart and ebony. DesPlanques hopes to make this chair in bamboo soon.

Rocking meditation made stool of bamboo.

"Dark Roast" made from American black walnut. DesPlanques incorporated the open hourglass back to take away all contact with the spine.

"Purgatory Rocker" made from leopardwood, maple, wenge and ebony.

Although not wood, this "Resurrection Rocker" piece is what DesPlanques believes to be the only cast sculptural bronze rocker on earth.

"Symphony Rocker" made from wenge, ebony, maple, birch and African rosewood.

"Sublime Settee" made from African rosewood and American ash. DesPlanques considers this to be one of the finest works he has ever created.

Two-person "Sublime Bench" made from African rosewood, maple and wenge. 

"Maserati Rocker" made from African rosewood, maple, leopardwood and ebony.

DesPlanques named this piece"Get Rhythm" after one of his favorite Johnny Cash songs. It's made from mahogany, walnut and oak veneer plywood.

 This table was made from purple heart and sapwood, with a metal base.