I recently had the privilege of visiting the Museum of Art in Wood, located in Old City in Philadelphia. I’ve been there several times over the past two years living here, but this visit was special. Katie Hudnall’s work has been an inspiration for years, and I got to meet her for coffee at a little cafe next door before we walked through the show. We chatted about the challenges of creating kinetic furniture, her love for screws over wood glue, and the logistics of moving her large pieces and installing them into the museum.

Katie’s ability to blend heart, vision, and technicality into her pieces is apparent in all her work, but this cabinet really tied the show together. The largest piece of the show “A Cabinet for Lost and Found Things” is a collection of drawers that house objects found on walks in Philadelphia, Madison, Milwaukee, and other cities. The strings that are attached to both the drawer, and when opened, lift the fin of the sail that is mounted to the wall behind it. Katie explained the spring tension allowed only a certain length of string and an exact 8 inches of travel to allow the mechanism to work properly. From the execution of joinery to the hand-painted eyes, which were revealed underneath each sail, her work is both distinct and finely executed. The pieces housed in the cabinets are a homage to her childhood hobby of beach combing the shores of Madison, Wisconsin. All five individual cabinets are named after women in her family. The large cabinets are Ruby, Pearl, and Opal, and the two connecting cabinets are Dot and Bet.

I pleasantly found hints of a similar labeling system in her other pieces, like the Symbiosis #4: Drawings & Drawers, where I found matching numbers that aligned the “billboards” to its drawer. Even the makers marks show evidence of a strong background in illustration: every single detail is intentional.

After browsing the show, I sat in and listened to her in-depth conversation about the exhibition, where she explained the concepts behind her body of work, where she gathers inspiration, and reflected on the personal triumphs reflected through her pieces and perspective. I had a hard time putting my finger on the exact words for the feelings evoked in understanding the narrative and dedication behind her work when a woman in the crowd raised her hand: “I want to compliment your work, but I also want to tell you I’m grateful for your generosity.” Katie Hundall’s work is something you must see in person to completely appreciate, though I hope I can provide just a peek into how wonderful it is. I knew the exact words upon leaving: grateful and inspired.

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