Phillip LLOYD POWELL

Phillip Lloyd Powell has graduated from the University of Drexel in Pennsylvania with a degree of mechanical engineering. He began his designer career at the end of the Second World war by restoring ancient pieces of furniture. He quickly opened his own shop in New Hope where he displayed his creations, the success of his shop allowed him to explore even more his understanding of the pieces. At a time where Scandinavian minimalism was successful, Powell overturned the rules and chose a naturalist approach. He let the wood grain apparent, inspiring the line, the form and the movement of his furniture. From his friendly and artistic encounter with Paul Evans who often visits his showroom, a real creative partnership was born. When Evans moved to New Hope in 1955, the two designers open a common show-room, the fruits of their collaboration were displayed countless times in several exhibitions, notably “Furniture by Craftsmen” in 1957 at the “Museum of Contemporary Crafts”. At the end of their partnership, Phillip Lloyd Powell leaved to travel. Back in New Hope, he goes on exploring the possibilities of the form and creates almost fantastic pieces, attaching more importance to design than the functionality of the furniture.