News
-July 21, 2010
This summer I spent some time away from the shop and was able to explore metalsmithing techniques in several workshops taught by Anne Wolf of the Ray Street Annex.
Anne teaches many of the different techniques used when working with metal in her workshops and has numerous pieces of her own work on display to inspire students. My plan is to use some of the techniques I learned to craft custom hardware for speculative pieces of furniture in the future.
-July 7, 2010
I thought I should post an image of some non-floral marquetry that I have done in the past for anyone that might think I only make pretty marquetry flowers and leaves. This Holly and Ebony marquetry
was made for an alternate design of my Art Deco Chess Table from several years ago. The idea was to represent the two battling forces in a game of chess as two opposing knights on a battlefield. In the end I decided not to complete this piece but the marquetry panels of the knights and the many complex scrollwork panels that went with them are still in the shop.
-June 1, 2010
I had a wonderful vist with Linda and Raf Nathan, the editors of Australian Wood Review last month. They were traveling Southern California and took time to stop by the shop and chat for a few hours. While they were here we photographed and documented a nice how-to on the process I use to create marquetry panels. It should be coming out in a future issue of the magazine; which by the way is well worth the read if you can get your hands on an issue. The topics covered are similar to those in US magazines but there is more of a focus on 'studio' type furniture which is refreshing to see after the demise of Home Furniture magazine years ago.
Also coming up this month is the annual Design In Wood Exhibition hosted by the San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association. I have heard that it will be another banner year for the show which is still the largest woodworking exhibit in the country. I will have one piece of marquetry furniture in this years show so stop by and have a look around.
-May 14, 2010
My friends at the blog CFT411 have posted a wonderful review of some of my most recent work. If you aren't a regular visitor to this blog it is worth becoming one. Joe Freenor and Joe Dusel post some great info about new products for kitchens, baths, furniture, and just about anything else related to furniture and cabinetry. There are also quite a few posts about new ecologically sound products for those of us that desire to be more environmentally concious.
-April 29, 2010
At long last I have completed several months of installation work on a series of large projects and will now be spending some time in the shop working on a number of new furniture pieces. Most will be marquetry commissions including my largest marquetry piece to date for a new client in Sonoma. This piece will incorporate Dogwood flower marquetry flowing around and across an upper cabinet then falling over a counter area and down another series of drawer and door fronts. It should be quite interesting when finished.
-March 31, 2010
I just finished two new marquetry furniture pieces which take my marquetry work in a new direction. Both pieces are made with only natural wood veneers, no dyed or colored veneer was used in the marquetry imagery. The images are of Japenese Maple leaves and branches in a variety of fall colors flowing across the background veneers. As an alternative to commercially available handles the Maple Leaf Cabinet doors have handles somewhat molded into the framework of the door itself, something I learned while studying compound bending techniques with Brian Newell in Fort Bragg.
-February 27, 2010
The Taunton Press is publishing a new book on Blanket Chests written by Peter Turner and Scott Gibson featuring interesting new blanket chest designs by a number of well known artists and it will include my Dogwood Blanket Chest in Mahogany and Curly Sycamore. There will also be a short sideline article on how I cut and assemble marquetry images.
-January 14, 2010
I have an article coming out in Fine Woodworking Magazine
in 2010. It is a feature length article on how I veneer curved shapes, everything from coves to half radii shapes appearing in the Arpil 2010 issue. Another shorter article printing sometime in the future details my method for creating a veneered chessboard which is a mix of several different methods from various places.
-December 3, 2009
A new book by Schiffer Publishing called 'Wood Art Today 2' will feature eight images of a variety of my work along with the work of many other talented artists working with wood. This book is the second in the 'Wood Art Today' series, the first by Dona Meilach years ago is well worth the read. Dona Meilach wrote many craft oriented books over her long career bringing many new artists exposure and showing the general public the amazing work being done in a variety of craft fields. Dona passed away in 2006; Terry Martin wrote an excellent article about his work with her for Woodwork Magazine in 2007.
-August 14, 2009
I just received word that my Art Deco Chess Table won Best of Show at the 2009 Artistry In Wood Exhibition at the Sonoma County Museum of Art. This is a great show put on by the Sonoma County Woodworkers Association every year. If you are in Sonoma over the next month and a half stop by the museum and see all the great work by many diverse artists.
-July 3, 2009
At long last I am in the process of moving my shop to a new location. I am just starting the renovations (painting, electrical, office, and loft to name a few) to the new space but it has high ceilings, twice the square footage and lots of room for new and exciting projects in the future. I expect to be moved in and functional by the end of the month. The old shop is still setup and working away on existing projects so there won't be any down time during the move.
-April 20, 2009
My schedule of shows for the summer is finalized and I will be showing my Art Deco Chess Table at the annual Baulines Craft Guild Master Exhibition in San Rafael and then again at the Artistry In Wood Exhibition at the Sonoma County Museum of Art.
I will also have two new pieces, including another in a continuing line of Art Deco inspired work, on display at the annual Design In Wood Exhibition hosted by the San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association held during the San Diego County Fair. This will be the 10th anniversary of my first showing work at the Design in Wood Exhibition.
-February 10, 2009
The Baulines Craft Guild will have a display of member work at the CODAchrome Exhibition in Saint Paul, MN from April 10th through August 7th, 2009. CODAchrome is an exhibition of work drawn from the members of CODA (the Craft Organization Director’s Association). The exhibition will showcase organizations such as the Friends of Fiber Art International, the American Association of Woodturners, the Society of North American Goldsmiths, the Furniture Society, and the Baulines Craft Guild. My Campion Display Table has been selected as one of the pieces to represent the Baulines Craft Guild.
-January 23, 2009
I just received news that I have been accepted as a Master Member of the Baulines Craft Guild of California. The Guild is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of California's fine craft legacy that was formed in 1972 and has achieved national recognition for its Education Programs.
The Guild is composed of artisan/teachers who are among the most significant artists creating fine craft work in America today and I am honored to be accepted as one of their members. You can read more about the Guild and the annual Master Member Exhibitions at this link Baulines Craft Guild.
-January 6, 2009
I have started building several new pieces for display in this years furniture shows; check back for more info as the work develops.
In addition I just received word that I will be one of a select group of furniture makers featured in a new book by Schiffer Publishing called Studio Furniture from Today's Leading Woodworkers coming out later this year. The feature will showcase four of my recent furniture pieces; two marquetry and two Art Deco.
-November 12, 2008
Lark Books has just notified me that two of my contemporary tables will be featured in their latest design book '500 Tables' due in bookstores in the summer of 2009.
-September 18, 2008
San Diego Home and Garden Magazine has an article in the October 2008 issue highlighting exciting new home products that features two photos of my award winning Art Deco Chess Table from this years Design In Wood Show, click here to see a preview.
-August 31, 2008
I have new Art Deco furniture on display at Gallery M in Half Moon Bay, Ca. and will be their 'Featured Artist of The Month' in September. If you are in the Half Moon Bay area stop by the gallery and see some of my new work in person.
The San Diego Home and Garden Magazine '2008 Interior Design Guide' has an article on commissioning custom furniture highlighting two of my furniture pieces from the past few years, click here to see a preview. The article is titled Modern Jazz and starts on page 46 of the Design Guide.
-July 23, 2008
The Fine Art Woodworking Show is currently underway at the Orange County Fair through August 3rd. There are over 180 pieces of fine woodworking on display and I have been notified that my work was selected for four awards including:
-2nd. Place in Contemporary Furniture for my Coffee Table
-3rd. Place in Contemporary Furniture for my Breakfast Table
-Juror's Choice Award for my Breakfast Table
-Honorable Mention in Art Furniture for my Spiral Table
Also, starting this month and continuing through the end of August is the Artistry in Wood Exhibition at the Sonoma County Museum of Art. Last year my Campion Display Table won the Best of Show award and this year one of my new coffee tables was selected for an Award of Excellence.
-June 18, 2008
I decided to illustrate my design process for one of my new Art Deco pieces of furniture; specifically I put together a complete design layout board for my Ruhlmann style Art Deco Chess Table. This design board shows many of the important Art Deco details essential to accurately interpreting Ruhlmann style furniture and it shows how each of those details are applied to my Chess Table design. Click this link Chess Table Design Board to see the design process in more detail.
-June 14, 2008
The Design In Wood Exhibition has begun for 2008 and is filled with beautiful work in all forms, be sure to check it out before it ends on July 6th. If you don't make it in time click this link Design In Wood to see the San Diego Fine Woodworkers online photo gallery of the awards winning entries. I won several new awards this year including:
-1st. Place in Traditional Furniture for my Art Deco Chess Table
-3rd. Place in Veneering/Marquetry Furniture for my Dogwood Buffet
-The Master Woodworkers Trophy for my Cherry Sideboard
Also, this months Woodworkers Journal eZine has an artist profile on me written by Michael Dresdner featuring some of my latest work. Click the link above to view the article or check on my resume page for a full copy of the article.
-May 15, 2008
My show schedule for the summer has been finalized. I will have new pieces of furniture in the following shows:
-Once a Tree Gallery opening in Anaheim, May 24-July 31
-Design In Wood in San Diego, June 14-July 6
-Fine Art Woodworking in Orange County, July 11-August 3
-Artistry In Wood in Sonoma, July 12-August 31
-April 4, 2008
Check the May-June issue of Woodworker West Magazine for an in depth artist profile featuring some of my marquetry furniture and several pictures of new Art Deco work I have recently completed.
-March 2, 2008
Coming soon, a five part series on marquetry featuring my Gardenia Sideboard and Blue Ulysses Sideboard on the new woodworking blog CFT411. Created by two lifelong woodworkers CFT411 is going to provide readers with information on what is happening in the cabinetry and furniture fields and help them make smart choices for the future. Check in regularly to see tool reviews, new material discussions and professional profiles.
-February 6, 2008
Look for my artist profile in the March 2008 issue of San Diego Home and Garden Magazine. The SDHG photographer was in the shop recently and took pictures of some work in progress to be featured in the magazine. Additionally there will be several photos of my most recent marquetry embellished furniture along with a Q and A interview.
-January 1, 2008
The CT Fine Furniture website redesign is essentially complete. Keep checking back as photos of new work will regularly be added to the portfolio and new items of interest will be posted as monthly updates on the news page.