A Judd-inspired bench made by novice builder Emma Newbern. | Emma Newbern

Hobbyists show you how to use the minimalist artist as a reference point On March 1, the first U.S. retrospective in 30 years of artist Donald Judd?s work opened at MoMA. You hardly have to be a diehard Judd-head who?s made the pilgrimage to Marfa to recognize the artist?s work ? his influence is everywhere, from the types of floating box shelves you see at Ikea to the heels of designer shoes. As Jerry Saltz recently wrote in his essay on the retrospective, ?[Judd] is in everything from the buildings we live in and the furniture we sit on to our work spaces and iPhone design.? As Judd has become increasingly ubiquitous, we at the Strategist have noticed a highly specific, subtrend emerge: stylish, moderately crafty people ? from clothing designer Jesse Kamm, to interdisciplinary designer Emma Newbern, to co-chief art critic for the New York Times Roberta Smith ? actually building their own Judd-inspired daybeds, shelves, and worktables.
Architect Ross Anderson?s Judd-Inspired fireplace at the Abercrombie & Fitch headquarters in Columbus, OH.

This crop of (Judd)-furniture-making hobbyists follow a well-established lineage of actual architects and designers using the artist as a reference point in their work. Judd?s influence has shown up in Abercrombie & Fitch?s Columbus, Ohio, corporate headquarters in the early aughts (architect Ross Anderson installed long, Jud...