What is Marquetry?
I often describe marquetry as painting with wood, but no paint is involved. Marquetry uses thin wooden veneers to create a picture. Once compiled the picture is then applied to a thicker wood surface, which is then used in furniture or other wooden objects. Many techniques can be used to generate marquetry images. I use the double bevel technique on a scroll and hand fret saws to create this intricate work.
What is Pyrography?
Pyrography, often referred to as wood burning, is the art of creating decorative designs by using heat to burn images, patterns, or lettering onto wood and other natural materials. The word derived from the Greek words pyr (fire) and graphē (writing or drawing). The practice has been around since ancient civilizations. I love the basic primal aspect of woodturning, but I also love the modern electric burners that allow for precise lines, shading, and intricate details.
Dreamy Snakes
2025 | Steam Bent Ash with Milk Paint Frame and Natural Wood and Pressure Dyed Veneers | 26"x 20"x2"
The Dreamy Snakes Wall Art piece was designed off a dream I had of a three headed snake coming out of the back seat of an 80s era Volvo sedan. I woke up and quickly drew it, years later I found the drawing and decided to try the drawing in a marquetry design. After the design was complete, I found the perfect cast away scrap of steam bent ash that I carved snakes into to complete the frame. After spending much of my life afraid of snakes, I have recently embraced these wonderful creatures as signs of change and growth for me. Rather than seeing the dream as a nightmare, I felt as though it was a good omen that this wonderful creature was willing grace my dreams with its presence.
She Slayed So Hard She Went Extinct
2025 | Steam Bent White Oak Tray with Oak and Pressure Dyed Veneers, Hand drawn Pyrography Design | 20"x14"x2"
A few years ago, I became obsessed with mega fauna and drew this mammoth skeleton from a book I found belonging to my wife, who is obsessed with giant ground sloths. Coincidentally after I started this piece, our community shop, Highland Woodshop, was commissioned to build a cabinet for a mammoth tusk found under 9th street in Corvallis. I got to spend a lot of time with the tusk, and developed a deeper relationship with the massive creature. I couldn't help but see the mammoth with a pair of red boots on based on their skeletal feet, which look so much like high heeled boots. Once I finished the drawing with the boots on, I knew she had to exist in marquetry. She had to tell her story...
Sometimes a look can be so fierce
A slay so hard
You cease to exist.
Blobbie Trays
2025 | Maple and Walnut Trays with Natural Wood and Pressure Dyed Veneers with and Osmo Finish | 14" x 8" x 2"
The Blobbie trays are shapes I have always doodled since I was a kid, I started drawing them again when I was learning procreate. It felt like coming home to the shapes of my youth. I love the colorful playful shapes.
Koi Tray
2023 | Steam Bent Walnut Tray with Natural Wood and Pressure Dyed Veneers with and Osmo Finish | 20"x14"x2"
Koi always remind me of my father's pond, and I completed the tray as a gift for his 80th birthday. The walnut tray was created with steam bending, bending a singular board of walnut around a form. As I explore marquetry as a technique, I enjoy the challenge of attempting to create complex imagery with only pieces of wood. Color is from pressure dyed wooden veneers. The marquetry is all done by hand using a fret saw and scroll saw, using the double bevel technique. A small amount of pyrography was used to outline the lily pads. The detailed views shows the intricacy of the marquetry work.
Obergefell Tray
2025 | Walnut Frame & Walnut and Pressure Dyed Veneers with Osmo Finish | Various sizes
I was lucky enough to see Jim Obergefell speak at Oregon State University and his bravery and commitment to the LGBTQIA community blew me away. The event also included the university orchestra playing a piece called John and Jim written by Viet Cuong about their love story. I sat in the audience watching Jim see beautiful music being played about his love story and contribution to bringing civil rights to so many. I was so moved, I ran home and grabbed a tray to give to Jim as a thank you for what he has given to me in my own personal life. I had already been making these rainbow trays in both color and natural wood, but I was struggling to find meaning to the trays. I knew I wanted to honor my community, but that day I decided I would keep making the trays and call them the Obergefell Trays to honor what Jim and John's sacrifice gave to me. When my wife and I met in Georgia, it was not legal for us to be married. So in 2013 we did paperwork to protect ourselves in case we found ourselves in the situation John and Jim did. When the Obergefell ruling came down in the summer of 2015, we were legally married shortly after. In my lifetime, I was able to gain civil rights that allowed me to benefit from social systems that allow my family to be protected. Thank you John and Jim for your love and sacrifice.
Here is information about the piece. https://vietcuongmusic.com/john-and-jim-orchestra/
Here is information about Jim and John's story. https://www.obergefell.com/
Anonymous Box of Sad Feelings
2024 | Oak Box with India Ink Finish and shop sawn hickory veneer top. Hand drawn Pyrography design. | 9"x 6"x 4"
The Anonymous Box of Sad Feelings was created with my friend in mind, who once sent me an image of a sad-looking African rain frog. Although we don’t see each other often, I feel a quiet understanding between us, rooted in the shared experience of sadness and melancholy. The image of the frog was a moment of recognition, a reminder that our connection exists not in the loud exchanges of words but in the unspoken, bittersweet bond we share. I’ve come to realize that, in seeking certain kinds of connections, we sometimes overlook the ones that are already there. My friend, an introvert, may not engage in the deep conversations I often crave, but there’s an unspoken desire to be with each other in silence—sharing images of sad frogs and knowing that there is much more beneath the surface. The box has no way of opening only a slot to receive your sad thoughts and feelings. The toad will hold your feelings so you can let them go.
Mermaid Skeleton Skateboard
2022 | Plywood, Oak Veneer, Grip Tape, Skateboard Trucks and Wheels | 40” x 8” x 5"
This skateboard was made on a form in the vacuum press using plywood and oak veneer. The design on the board was drawn in Adobe illustrator and then hand transferred onto the board using pyrography. The imagery draws from scientific illustration techniques, creating a mythical creature based on skeletal accuracies.
Zena Coopered Commission
2023 | White Oak | Osmo Finish | 12” x 6” x 4”
Zena Forest Products commissioned these keepsakes for employees who worked on a three year flooring project at the PDX airport. Provided with leftover pieces from their project, the only constraint was the small size on the wood remnants, which were perfect for creating coopered vessels. The pyrography images were inspired by Japanese artist, Mori Yuzan.
Puffin Tea Box
2017 | White Oak, Dyed Veneer | Osmo Finish | 6” x 8” x 5"
The Puffin Tea Box went to an ornithologist, a fitting home. Inspired by time birdwatching on the Oregon Coast, the puffin box is a mitered box with hand-cut marquetry panel. As I explore marquetry as a technique, I enjoy the challenge of attempting to create complex imagery with only pieces of wood. Color is from pressure dyed wooden veneers. The marquetry is all done by hand using a fret saw and scroll saw. I have always admired the tufted puffin for their style and hair dos.
Salmon Box
2017 | Walnut, Dyed Veneer | Osmo Finish | 6” x 8” x 5"
The Salmon Tea Box is inspired by spending time in the Pacific Northwest. Being married to a fish biologist, we spend spawning season chasing spawning salmon to watch them exercise feats of strength and acrobatics. My feats of strength in this project was to attempt marquetry with commercial veneer for the first time!
Trout Box
2016 | Walnut & Shop Sawn Veneer | Osmo Finish | 4” x 6” x 3"
The trout boxes were a commission for a group of dentists who are fly fisherpeople. This project was a great way to try a new technique, marquetry. The marquetry is done with shop sawn veneer and walnut was used for the box.
