Reclaimed Barnwood Jewelry Box, Hand-Cut Protruding Dovetails, And Chickadee Marquetry Inlay
This is my first venture into the world of the reclaimed. I think now that I've started I won't ever be able to stop. This turned out to be my favorite piece that I've built yet. This is built from barn siding from a barn that stood in Ridge Farm Illinois. The owner claims that the barn stood for more a hundred years. That's pretty incredible. I'm amazed at the density and strength of the wood though it's been tattered by a hundred years of the elements. To me it's a picture of who we become through the hardness and tragedies of life. Deep down we're all just hardened and we have this strong thick skin on the outside that's lost it's color, it's smoothness, it's life. But I think there's more beyond that. That's why I love the marquetry. To me it's hope, peace, joy, life. It's a reminder that though we're surrounded by pain, we're also surrounded by beauty and rest. Last year we lost our oldest son to a rare disease. He was 5. He used to point out every old barn he saw and was saving his money for one someday so he could have chickens :) He was my buddy and every time I was in the shop he was there with me. For a long time I couldn't go back to woodworking. I even sold most of my equipment. But this is my new start. A tribute to Thao. I know this box will never mean to you what it means to me but I hope that when you look at it that you're reminded of the beauty that surrounds us and the hope that's available to us. - 9" x 13" x 5" heartwood pine with maple interiors - Hand-cut Dovetails for supreme joinery and characteristic - Two tiers of storage, the upper tier is a sliding box - Removable dividers to ensure the most versatility. - Real velvet lining on the bottom of the tray and the bottom of the box The lid and the interior of the box are finished with Danish Oil to provide sealing protection but also maintain the natural look.
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"Pure Nard" is an oil that is extracted from a flowering plant that grows in the Himalayas of China, Northern India, and Nepal. Its oil is aromatic and in it's day was very valuable, about a year's working wage. Its history dates back to ancient Egypt and was most notably used in Roman times in anointing. Its significance was that of honor, peace, beauty, devotion, and excellence.You're probably wondering what this has to do with woodworking. Its not as much to do with the woodworking as much as it has to do with life. We have within ourselves the natural ability to destroy, hurt, doubt, give up, lie, mistreat, and push people away. But what about beautiful things? Isn't it this that breathes life into people? Isn't it this that breathes life into you?I hope that you see it in what I build with my hands: honor, peace, beauty, devotion, and excellence. And even more than that I hope that it's something you can share in.
I have worked with a cabinet company in my hometown for the last 10 years and wanted to take the skills that I learned in the basics of cabinetmaking and apply it to a more artful form of furniture making and fine box making. I love to make the pieces that people can say, "That was made for me and no one else." I continue to grow in educating myself on the best practices of what I do. I have fine attention to detail which is very important for working with wood. I am a highly experienced finisher as well which means it's not only built with precision and accuracy but finished with the most beautiful finishes available.
I'm an artist. I used to be afraid to say that because I never thought that I could live up to the expectations. I think all artist's struggle with that in some way. Here is my resolve: Out of an artist's creation an audience will see evidence of the artist's true perception of life. But what I began to realize is that this is not only true in what a person creates, but also in how he chooses to live. What this means to me is that we are all artists, everyone one of us, and we're all painting a picture that says something about who we are and what we truly believe. This ancient proverb states it best, "As man thinketh, so is he." We all have a choice to live lives of beauty or some skewed version of it that in the end leaves us wanting. True beauty has drawn me in and it's to him, the one who created us to create, that I dedicate my "life of art."
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