Veneer Work

This chess board was one of my first experiments with detailed veneer work. The underside shows a mariners star, making this piece suitable as a serving-tray as well. This project would inspire a passion for veneer which has not left me since.

Left: Inspired by a photo I took in Costa Rica, the Three-Wattled Bellbird surveys the rainforest canopy. Right: An Arowana, a prized fish among aquarists, depicted in a mahogany serving tray.

This wall-hung cabinet is crafted from solid black limba and various veneers. The door panel depicts Ops, a goddess and consort to Saturn in Roman mythology.

Caleb, a tugboat built in 1945 for the United States Navy, rests half-sunk on the bottom of Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay, California. The boat became the subject of controversy when it was docked illegally at Pillar Point. After being abandoned by its owners, a cult-like group called Zizians, Caleb broke free from its mooring and eventually sunk.

I came up with this design with the intention of testing out some new veneering equipment, as well as challenging myself with making curved drawer fronts. The box is wrapped in walnut burl veneer with continuous grain all around. I took the opportunity with the drawer fronts to include a design of the California poppy. The drawer boxes are made from solid quilted maple and are lined with felt to keep jewelry or other delicate items safe.

This piece reflects some of my earliest experimenting with sand shading; a process in which the individual pieces of veneer are dipped in hot sand to add a subtle burn along the edges, creating the shading effect seen between the hills. The design is based off a photo I took of my favorite stretch of coastline in Baja California.