What is Marquetry?
I often describe marquetry as painting with wood, but no paint is involved. Marquetry uses wooden veneers to create a picture applied to a plywood 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.
Koi Tray
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.
Blobbie Trays
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.
Puffin Tea Box
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
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
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.
