Hem X Leo Eklund: In his own writing
Made from a single piece of wood, Leo Eklund created Major Scribble, the wall piece that adds playfulness and 80’s nostalgia to any room. After turning, staining, and lacquering, each pencil receives two hinges that allow you to place or hang Major Scribble anywhere you need it. At a length of 90 cm/35.4 inches, the piece comes in either a primary red or blue stain.
Curated by Arranging Things, Major Scribble comes in a hand-signed limited edition of 20, made exclusively for Hem X. As each piece is handmade, individual differences will occur, making it a unique and one-of-a-kind product.
Photography by Martin Brusewitz
How did you come up with Major Scribble?
I had made a few big pencils before. They are easy to like. Everything in our world is to scale, so when something is supersized, it’s like a pun that everyone gets. You don’t have to know art to appreciate that play with scale, it has an inclusive quality to it.
Did you have a specific inspiration for the piece?
I started collecting oversized pencils at flea markets a few years ago. Some of them were just plain big, and some had functions like a wooden lamp, a ceramic piggy bank, or a CD stack.
How do you start a design project like this?
My background is in architecture, and it bothered me that the big pencils were not true to life. The angles and proportions were wrong. I had just brought home some logs from our country house, and I decided to try and make pencils that are scale models of the real thing. I gave a very light-hearted motif the same attention that a piece of furniture would get, in terms of surface treatment and material quality.
Tell us about how Major Scribble is made.
Originally I made the pencils when I was getting to know woodturning, as a tool for making art and furniture. Also, I had just learned a surface treatment technique, staining using dry pigments and finishing with varnish. It was fun to apply that gloss to the pencils, contrasting it with the intense, matte finish of the tip.
Where do you see Major Scribble?
It is essentially an interior detail, adding some playfulness and 80’s nostalgia to any domestic space. The strong color effect and quality materials make the pencils fit in with high-end furnishings.
