Solomonica: A Series of Cabinets

The exhibition is a topical reminder that we share more cultural identity than we often realize. Legends of the biblical King Solomon—who was a ruler, wise man, poet, and alchemist–—that flourished in the folk traditions of many different faiths. This intertwining of histories is also present in the artistic techniques of Islamic geometry: highly developed, intricate patterns that reached its zenith in the lattice and tilework of 12^th-century Cairo and 13^th-century Granada. In that time, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim craftspeople worked together to build synagogues and churches and mosques.

Beston Barnett sees himself as part of a long line of Jewish craftspeople working within the multilingual vocabulary of Islamic geometry. Thus, one cabinet tells the Quranic story of King Solomon in the Valley of the Ants. Another illustrates the Hebrew legend of Solomon’s romance with the Queen of Sheba. A third plays with the alchemical symbols that Renaissance Christians attributed to Solomon. Barnett’s designs lay bare a centuries-long hybridization of both stories and aesthetics: a great sharing of ideas and art.

Barnett says of his work: “I am a contemporary designer, concerned with contemporary ideas like ‘truth to materials’ and ‘form that follows function. But the first time I found a Dremel in my dad’s garage, aged eleven, I carved a Kiddush cup. For me, woodworking and storytelling both have this time-travelling aspect. I’m interested in where the contemporary and the ancestral can coexist.”

In Alta Loma, the Maloof Foundation preserves the house, workshops, gardens, and galleries of Sam Maloof, arguably the most influential furniture maker and designer in California history. By showcasing Barnett’s extraordinarily detailed cabinets, the Foundation continues Maloof’s mission to perpetuate excellence in craftsmanship. Sliding doors and hidden drawers, dovetail joinery and delicate latticework, precious gold leaf and inlaid local walnut are all on display. Of the pieces that have been entered in Design in Wood (the largest wood art competition on the West Coast), three have taken first place.

This is the first time that Barnett’s Solomonica cabinets are being shown as a complete series. And it is in this side-by-side viewing that the works’ overarching concept—both visually and narratively—is most  apparent and compelling.

Exhibition support is made possible in part through an EFASO grant from the Furniture Society and the Allied Craftsman of San Diego. 

Beston Barnett is a San Diego furniture maker focusing on quality craftsmanship, solid wood, modern lines, and often incorporating Islamic geometry. In his practice, he uses traditional hand tools and joinery alongside more contemporary techniques involving CNC routers and laser cutters.In 1996, Barnett received his Bachelor of Science degree from Harvey Mudd College in engineering and sculpture, and then, two careers later, his professional certificate from the Cabinetry and Furniture Technology program at Palomar College. In 2011, he began making commissioned furniture full-time and eventually started City Workshops, a studio shared with a small community of craftspeople in central San Diego. Barnett is an active member of the long-running guild Allied Craftsmen of San Diego and the national Furniture Society. In 2026, his first solo exhibition of wood art, Solomonica: A Series of Cabinets, opens at the Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation in Alta Loma, CA.