| "What's all this then?" - Monty Python |
I am an engineer by training. Some of my friends have called me an artist. I consider myself to be an "experimental woodworker." I have been working with wood and glass since I was a teenager. Over the years, I have developed a love for the intricacies and unique traits of the different species of woods available and a love for the textures and many colors of exotic woods. I do not use any stains or paints in my pieces - relying instead on the colors available through selecting the woods by hand and incorporating them into the designs.
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All of my pieces are solid, natural wood with the exception of some of the entertainment centers where I use hardwood plywood for shelves and panels. I generally use solid brass hardware and the occasional selected stone inlay. Many of the pieces appear to have wood inlays in their tops, but these are solid pieces incorporated into the construction of the panels and can be seen from both sides of the panel.
All of the wood I use is commercially available, un-endangered or plantation grown. While there are a number of woods I would love to work with someday, everything I use is as enviro-friendly as possible. All of my finishes are hand rubbed - and food-safe where appropriate.
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At times over the past couple of years, I have needed to take a break from woodworking and I returned to an old passion - stained glass. When I last worked in the medium, everything was lead came and glazing compounds and chunky, geometric designs. What I learned upon my return to the medium was that the glass world had changed quite a bit. There are much finer lead cames available for more intricate work and the "foil method" allows for even more intricate pieces. Instead of critical cuts and intense filing, there are wonderful glass grinders and saws available at prices even the hobbyist can afford.
So I have been dabbling in glass, learning new techniques and re-finding the love for the intricacies of color and grain and textures in glass that I have been working with in wood for so long.
And now, I am exploring the marriage of wood and glass in a number of new projects, some of which are shown on the back page.
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Most of my work is either custom made by request, or the result of experiments in techniques and tools. Some pieces are repeatable, but each is unique in its own way.
Please feel free to "step inside my shop" and explore the website and the pieces I have photographed here. While this site is not meant to be a retail site, please feel free to contact me with your thoughts or specific requests you may have at : info@drygulchexoticwoods.com
If you're wondering about the name, it's a long story, but it's also an extension of my other site: www.drygulchguitars.com
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| There's some new stuff on the Furniture page... |
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This is Sparky. Sparky was made to celebrate my granddaughter's first Christmas. He doesn’t really fit into my page categories, so I thought I’d just stick him right here on the home page.
Sparky is solid 5/4" Poplar with Mahogany used as trim for the mane, tail and the "handle bars" and completed with solid brass hardware. Considering the ultimate age of his owner, he is finished with a food-safe polyurethane to allow worry-free chewing - and yes, his eyes are wood-burned by hand, not painted on.
He stands 11" high at the saddle and he is 17" high and 21" long overall. He is hinged to allow for a fairly tight turn radius, but blocked from turning too far or pinching little legs.
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