Nature is my inspiration. I find it fascinating that, amidst the rampant apparent chaos abounding in the natural world, balance and beauty prevail. I have rarely, if never, seen an ugly tree or flower. Particularly interesting are trees that survive under adverse conditions. Like tenacious people they are equally complex and gnarly behind their bark (if you can allow a pun like that!). The inside reflects the outer world, again balance and symmetry. The piece of amboyna burl (from Borneo) on the trunkfish box reminded me instantly of the reefs I’ve snorkeled around after one of my favorite fish.
I’m drawn to boxes because they are small, personal, conceal mysteries, and are about as much as I can handle with my penchant for details. I’d go crazy on a large piece! Plus, I like to create the greatest amount of beauty from the least amount of wood, display beauty without consuming it. Marquetry allows my to work with the finest woods without consuming them, since most veneers that I currently buy are approx. 1/40th of an inch thick. Since they are sliced, not sawn, there is no waste and you get 40 slices from a 1″ thick piece of wood. Little material travels through my studio doors. This allows the box that I work in to be small!
