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Daryl Stokes, being one of the original owners of Stohans, is still the active and main operating manager of this company.
To View Current Redwood Abstract Sculptures by Daryl Stokes Please Click Here.
Photo By Pat Hathaway
THE HISTORY of STOHANS GALLERY
In the early 1970's, Daryl Stokes completed studies of fine arts at the University of South Florida in Tampa and ventured west to Monterey, Ca. While living in a bungalow on Jacks Peak, Stokes built a small workshop and began designing and creating redwood furniture as a hobby. Originally an abstract expressionist painter, he became intrigued with driftwood and burls. The endless array of shapes and sizes lent themselves to unique freeform designs.
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Daryl Stokes cleaning a redwood stump. | Daryl, showing abstract redwood sculpture. |
A fellow woodworker, Greg Hansen, became fascinated by Stokes creations of driftwood furniture. Combining efforts, Stokes and Hansen began developing new techniques and design concepts for the production of a unique style of natural
wood furnishings. Thus, the name "STOHANS" evolved.
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In October 1977, Stohans opened a small gallery at 807 Cannery Row.
The gallery was a unique organic environment with groupings of sofas
and chairs covered with leather and sheepskins, driftwood bars, lamps
and various freeform burl tables.
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Public response was very favorable and increasing popularity made it necessary to create more products. The small workshop in Jacks Peak could not keep up with the demand and more area was needed for raw wood storage. A year later, Stohans secured a new shop location at 484 Cannery Row. It was housed in the large cannery building called the San Xavier. The reduction plant still had remnants of the old fishing industry machines and equipment. Situated at the shoreline's edge,
the tall wooden building, isolated by vacant lots with other
cement cannery foundations, served as a truly inspirational setting for
the artistic endeavors of Stokes and Hansen.
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Stohans Gallery at 484 Cannery Row | View of Cannery Row & driftwood piles. | View of San Xavier Cannery & old foundations. |
In the months that followed, new woodworking facilities were built
and Stohans began hiring and training more craftsman. Masses of driftwood
were salvaged from northern California beaches and burls hauled down
from logged-off mountains. Unusual interior showroom areas were developed
and decorated with huge redwood panels hand cut with Alaskan chainsaw
mills. Large milled timbers were assembled to create room areas and display structures. Thick redwood slabs were utilized for massive display tables, shelving units, and benches. Outdoor courtyard areas were also created with driftwood landscapes, outdoor sculptures, cascading fountains, and unfinished burl tables.
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with Alaska chain saw mill. | chain saw |
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Photo By Pat Hathaway |
THE HISTORY of STOHANS GALLERY
For several years, Stohans continued to enlarge its production capacity
and began supplying other galleries in San Francisco, Santa Barbara,
and Lake Tahoe. Eventually, Stokes decided that the wholesale ventures
became increasingly repetitive and artistically restraining, so he began
concentrating more energy into designing more exotic, specialized pieces
which could only be found at the Stohans Gallery. Because of this new
versatility, Stohans produced many custom-order furnishings
which included complete driftwood furniture groups for rooms, offices,
restaurants, and entire homes.
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Redwood Sculpture |
indoor/outdoor redwood fountains and massive waterfalls made from
hollowed-out burls. Exotic furniture pieces were also conceived and
included enormous curved sofas and lounges upholstered with sheepskins.
There were beds, dressers, huge mirrors, standing lamps, bar sets,
wall designs, abstract sculptures, and many other
incredible one-of a kind pieces.
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wood veneer lamp shade | with Sheepskin Upholstery | "Rhythmn & Power" 7' tall |
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glass top coffee table | Waterfall | Executive Desk |
It was always difficult to describe the store, you just had to experience it?
for yourself. Stohans participation in Cannery Row's strong tourist industry?
was conducive to the gallery's development of national and international
clientel. Many of their purchases were crated and shipped coast to coast as well as world wide.
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Featuring some of the most unique waterfall fountains on the market, Stohans,
has expanded the lines to include many unique water wall fountains, etched fountains, simulated stone fountains, aqua columns, bubble panels, kinetic wood sculptures and much more.
Custom water walls and water windows for both residential and commercial usage has taken front stage in the market place and Daryl, with so many options now available, including fountains with LCDs, looks forward to an opportunity to assist you in chosing a fountain for your home or commercial needs.
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