Orphéo, Dog Portrait Marquetry

I loved that picture of my sister’s dog and decided to create a marquetry panel for her. Unfortunately by the time I was done (2009) the dog sadly died…

The picture was made piece by piece (classicle method) in 4 layers, I tried again to use contrasting wood and grain direction more than sand shading that I secluded to the tongue. I should have added some to the fit or contrast more the woods as it is a little to flat for my test.

The background was cut to the maximum size the Chevalet can handle

I got a 4th place at the Design in Wood Show 2009

My first marquetry

My first piece by piece marquetry in École Boulle, Paris, during my marquetry workshop in 1996.
In fact it is my second marquetry the first one could not fit together and I had to recut the all project.
I keep it to remember to not cut to fat.

White Cockatoo, Marquetry

 I started cutting that project in France before to be sponsored by Patrick Edwards and Kristen Arrivee from Antique Refinishers and American School of French Marquetry in 2006. I brought back the half cut pieces and packs in my luggage.

As a restorer I practised marquetry but mainly for repairs. I did couple classicle projects but this picture is the first one I did as an independant wall picture.

I wanted to do something in the Roentgen style, small intricate pieces where the contrast is achieved by the choice of wood more than the shading. The picture I found of that cockatoo was ideal for that.

Choice of wood was critical especially for the bird containing the biggest pieces. Curly maple, beech and tight lacewood. Branches are made with rosewood, mahogany, cherry walnut

The technique used was piece by piece or classical method cut in 4 layers. I used 2 different backgrounds, 2 in oilve ash and 2 in dumpster-dived unknown pinkish veneer. The pinkish being a little to plain I added later some fusion to skyified it a little.

i finally finished it for the 2008 Design in Wood Show and have been lucky enough to have been awarded 1st place