resume
Seth Stem
10 Exchange Court, #301
Pawtucket, RI 02860 USA
401 454 6163
401 749 0476 (cellular)
design skills
Fluent in presentation, conceptualization, design development,
prototyping, and specifications.
Strengths: design innovation, problem solving, management of design
assignments, understanding design in relationship to manufacturing
processes and capabilities. In-depth knowledge of furniture design and
construction, woodworking and metalworking. Informed about plastics
and model making.
Computer proficiency: Macintosh and PC platforms – Microsoft Word,
Rhinoceros. Basic use of Photoshop, Illustrator.
education
MFA Furniture Design, 1978-1980, Virginia Commonwealth University,
Richmond, Virginia.
1977-78, enrolled in MA program, Furniture Design, San Diego State
University, San Diego, CA.
B.A. Landscape Architecture, 1965-1970, Pennsylvania State University,
State College, Pennsylvania.
professional experience
1980 – present: Professor, Department of Industrial Design, Rhode
Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island.
Sept. 2005 – July 2009:
Graduate Program Coordinator, Department
of Industrial Design, Rhode Island School of Design.
1992 – present: Designer of contemporary furniture for industry.
1980 – 1992: Design and construction of exhibition quality furniture,
commission work.
1975-1978, landscape Architect, Carol R Johnson and Associates,
Cambridge, Massachusetts.
1971-1972: Woodworking and furniture design, Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
1971: Partner, Structures Factory, Easton Pennsylvania. Design and
construction of geodesic domes and inflatable structures.
1970, Landscape Architect, Hanover Engineering Associates, Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania.
consulting and joint ventures
Designer of wood and bamboo lumber furniture collections for Maria Yee,
Inc., Santa Cruz, CA, with manufacturing in China (active in sustainability
design and manufacturing issues).
Designer of RTA furniture for Directions East, Bethel, CT, 2002 to 2008.
All products manufactured in China and other parts of Southeast Asia.
Design Consultant, Whitney Brothers Company, Keene, New Hampshire.
Design of storage cabinets for a line of children’s furniture, November
2000 – March 2001.
Joint venture with Revivals, Needham, MA. Design of a dual size table
for production, July 2000 – present.
Joint venture with ITEM, Providence, Rhode Island. Design of a foot to
floor mass market toy, November 1998 – July 1999.
Design Consultant, GEAR, New York, NY. Design of an extensive
furniture collection for Lloyd Flanders industries, May 1996-September
1997.
Designer, Mehitabel / Lina Fina, Cebu, Phillipines. Design of wicker,
rattan, and wood furniture for production, 1992 – 1994.
Design project: Dupont Corporation, Wilmington, Delaware, promotional
design of upholstered furniture using “Comforel” synthetic down
substitute, 1994.
Design project: Classic Rattan, Nicholasville, Kentucky. Design of rattan
furniture for production, 1993.
Prototype development: Ralph Lauren Jewelry Co., Providence, RI.
Development of wooden bracelet prototypes, 1993.
Design consultant: Wood Fabricators, Billerica, MA. Design of a
bentwood children’s playground system, 1984-1987.
Conceptual design project: Haworth, Inc., Zeeland, Michigan. Office
furnishings of the future, 1985.
Design proposal: Plycraft International, Lawrence, MA. Molded plywood
furniture collection, 1988.
work in progress
Design and construction of a two person 48 volt, 12 hp low speed electric
vehicle. Completion date estimated June 2010.
selected group exhibitions
“Faculty Biennial Exhibition”, Rhode Island School of Design, Museum of
Art, Providence, RI, October, 2008.
“Faculty Triennial Exhibition”, Rhode Island School of Design, Museum of
Art, Providence, RI September-November, 2005.
“Riverfront Lofts Exhibition, Riverfront Lofts, Pawtucket, RI, September,
2005.
“Faculty Biennial Exhibition”, Rhode Island School of Design, Museum of
Art, Providence, RI September-November, 1997.
“Faculty Biennial Exhibition”, Rhode Island School of Design, Museum of
Art, Providence, RI September-November, 1994.
“Nine Rhode Island Masters of Modern Furniture”, Newport Art Museum,
Newport, RI, July 3 – September 13, 1992.
“Playing Around: Toys by Artists”, Decordova Museum, Lincoln,
Massachusetts, January, 1991.
“Masterworks”, Meredith gallery, Baltimore, Maryland, April 1991.
“A Child’s World”, Society of Arts and Crafts, Boston, Massachusetts,
December, 1998.
“Design Diversity”, Art and Architectural Design, Baltimore, Maryland,
February, 1987.
“Unique, Part II”, Clark Gallery, Lincoln, Massachusetts, January, 1987.
“Furniture as Art”, Fay Gold Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia, April, 1986.
“Rhode Island School of Design: Selected Faculty”, George Ciscle
Gallery, Baltimore, Maryland, January, 1986.
“Furniture”, Walter White Gallery, Carmel, California, Fall, 1984.
“Furniture from the Rhode Island School of Design”, Workbench Gallery,
New York, NY, June 1984.
“Bentwood Today”, Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design,
Providence, RI, March, 1984.
“Woodforms”, Brockton Art Museum, Brockton, Massachusetts,
September, 1981.
juried exhibitions
“Conservation by Design”, Traveling Exhibtion. World Forestry Center,
Portland, OR, Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson, Arizona, and the Renwick
Gallery, Washington, DC.
“Conservation by Design”, Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of
Design, Providence, RI, November, 1993 – January, 1994.
“New Works”, Brockton Art Museum, Brockton, Massachusetts, July
1984.
“Furniture Invitational”, Clark Gallery, Lincoln, MA, January 1983.
“Marblehead Festival of the Arts”, Marblehead, MA, July 1982.
“Make It New”, University Art galleries, Paul Creative Arts Centers,
University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, March 1982.
“Interiors”, Society of Arts and Crafts, Boston, MA, March 1982.
awards
ASFD Pinnacle Award Finalist, Casual Dining category, October, 2004,
High Point, NC
Faculty Development Grant, Rhode Island School of Design, April 1994.
Award to attend the Milan Furniture Fair, Milan, Italy.
Faculty Development Grant, Rhode Island School of Design,
January/February 1992. Award to design wicker and rattan furniture with
manufactures in the Philippine Islands.
Faculty Development Grant, Rhode Island School of Design, January
1991 and Wintersession, 1987. Pursue the development of a book about
designing furniture.
First Place, Crafts, “Marblehead Festival of the Arts”, Marblehead, MA,
1982.
Best of Show Award, Central Pennsylvania Arts Festival, State College,
PA, 1981.
Juror
“FLIP” Furniture Design Competition, Singapore Industries Council, Nov.
30, 2007.
“American Society of Furniture Design Pinnacle Awards, High Point, NC
September 8, 2005
“Design Emphasis”, International Woodworking Fair, Atlanta, Georgia,
August, 1992.
Table, Lamp, and Chair 1990, Portland, Oregon, May 1990.
“Art at Work”, Society of Arts and Crafts, Boston, MA, Fall 1998.
“International KD Furniture Exhibition”, New York, NY, May 1985.
professional membership
American Society of Furniture Designers
book authored
Designing Furniture, From Concept to Shop Drawing, The Taunton Press,
Newtown, Connecticut, 1989.
work published in
“Interior Design”, May 15, 1993
American Crafts: A Source Book for the Home, Van Nostrand Press,
1983.
Design Book Three, The Taunton Press, 1983.
“Metropolis”, April, 1982.
Advanced Woodworking, Time Life Books, 1981.
“Fine Woodworking”, January/February, 1980.
Design Book Two, The Taunton Press, 1979.
recent lectures
South East Asia furniture Design Seminar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,
November 28, 2007
American Hardwood Export Council, 8th Annual Greater China and
Southeast Asia Convention, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, December 5 – 7
2003,
International Furniture Symposium, Seoul, Korea, September, 1999.
Chair Design Workshop, Mark Adams School of Woodworking, Franklin,
Indiana, June 7 – 12, 2000.
Lecture and two day Furniture Design Workshop, Atlantic Woodworker’s
Association, Halifax, Nova Scotia, October 27-29, 1995.
Lecture and two day Furniture Design Workshop, Rochester
Woodworker’s Association, Rochester, New York, January 1995.
patents:
“Confetti” Expandable Shelf, US Provisional Patent, July, 2005
Convertible Table with Reversible Leaves, US Utility Patent Application,
February 2002.
travel
Business travel to China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Singapore to
work with manufacturing facilities for Design Clients.
Extensive travel throughout Southeast Asia on four occasions. Travel to
India, Nepal, Africa, Turkey, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala and Europe.