JUDY KENSLEY McKIE
(American, b. 1944)
Proud Dogs
1985, carved and painted wood, glass
both dogs signed JKM 1985 on base
overall height: 17 in., overall length: 56 1/4 in., width: 18 in.; dogs each measure height: 16 in., length: 44 in., width: 4 in.
Provenance: The artist; The Collection of a Cambridge, Massachusetts Couple.

Other Notes: Massachusetts native Judy Kensley McKie is a leading figure in the American Studio Furniture movement of the 1970s and 80s. She received her BFA in painting from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1966 before turning her attention to the three-dimensional arts. In 1971, she joined the New Hamburger Cabinetworks cooperative in Roxbury (later Cambridge) and, over time, taught herself woodworking. In the early years, her furniture was unadorned, but she soon began to combine the decorative and structural elements of her designs , drawing inspiration from the motifs of Native American, Pre-Columbian, and Egyptian art. By the early 1980s, she spoke of her desire to make “inanimate objects that are animated,” applying zoomorphic designs to “a formal vocabulary of furniture-making.” Similarly, the exhibition catalog for her 1987 solo show at Pritam & Eames noted, “It has been said that McKie is a modernist, working within a long tradition of animal imagery usage in furniture, such as the ball and claw foot. However, her work has more in common with the spirit-imbued carving of African and Eskimo cultures and other animist traditions. McKie says this is the work that inspires her. She describes her first experience of working with animal form as coming from a state akin to daydreaming, where the mind is drifting and freely associating. She also says that at the time, she was reacting against the strict rectangularity of '60s furniture.”

McKie’s creative integration of animal imagery and the formal furniture tradition is clearly reflected in Proud Dogs. The dogs’ outstretched paws, elongated necks, and pointed ears are reminiscent of statues depicting the Egyptian god Anubis, while their curved tails echo the form of traditional bentwood furniture. There is an additional element of creativity hidden in this sophisticated table: the dogs can be arranged either in corresponding or opposing directions, depending on the owner’s preference. Furthermore, this 1985 piece marks the pinnacle of McKie’s work with wood, as, by 1987, she began using bronze as her primary medium. The table was purchased directly from the artist by a Cambridge, Massachusetts couple, and it has remained in their home since that time.

Some scattered minor areas of wear to black paint (small chips to paint along dogs legs, only visible up close). Please note: All property is sold "AS IS" and any statement, whether oral or written, is given as a courtesy and shall not be deemed as a guarantee, warranty, or representation of the authenticity of authorship, physical condition, size, quality, rarity, importance, provenance, exhibitions, literature or historical relevance of the property or otherwise. The absence of a condition report does not imply the item is in perfect condition.