So before you begin, you must know ergonomics. You must understand the human form. I like to stick to the challenge of making pieces work well as furniture, as much as work well as art. Fobes earned a degree in environmental design in 1978, then went back to school to get his master's of fine arts degree in 1990 at San Diego State University. He has been teaching since, in addition to the work he does on commission and on spec.
Inspiring students does.
Many of them have never used their hands before. For some, that is a life-changing experience. We live in a society that is out of touch with the idea of using our hands. Sitting at a computer, you use your hands, but not on something tangible, not on something that you can take away with you. To see that change, to see students who learn how to use their hands for the first time, that makes my day.