Wood

“I don’t remember when I did not look to animals as a source of beauty and inspiration. Including humans, I’ve made them subjects of toys and sculpture for three decades and have put most of them on wheels. I combine inspiration, a vision of gesture and memory, with the physicality of wood and paint. The building part is a place of transition where everything snaps together, an intoxication of pure flow.”

“I often use ancient Egyptian cosmology as subject matter. In using myth as a context, there are lots of stories to tell as these grand beings flap back and forth between animals and human. Some of my pieces become sophisticated toys, while others are about nature and rhythm and color. My objective is simple: to have fun. I want adults to have toys also, to give in to being playful.”

Above: Dona Dalton. Kingfishers: Celebese Dwarf, American Pygmy, Ruddy, Malachite. Carved poplar, painted with latex enamel and acrylics. 5″ x 3″. Photo by Peter Groesbeck.

Richard Florance resides in Shoreacres, a small city on Galveston Bay. He is a lifelong resident of the Houston-Galveston area. He is retired from Semasy Inc., a plastics manufacturing company in Houston, which provides merchandising aid for retail briskness. Over the last 30 years, in his spare time, he learned cabinet making. Upon his retirement, after golf did not require enough hours, he started wood turning, which had been an interest for many years. This has indeed become an outlet for his creative abilities. He has been turning wood for over seven years and has made over 900 bowls, each of which is unique. His bowls have been distributed worldwide.

Richard’s other activities include civic and community participation, as well as being involved with his church and enjoying his nine grandchildren.

Above: Richard Florence. Pecan Bowl with Turquoise. Photo courtesy the artist.

Thomas Irven is a wood artist who has been producing custom furniture and wood turnings in his Bellaire, Texas, studio since 1987. Irven apprenticed under an English master craftsman and has conducted seminars in woodworking, woodturning and design. Woodturning has always been a passion for the artist and played a large part in his furniture making. In 1998, turning wood became the focus of his work. He says, “The inspiration for my designs comes from nature, dreams and life experiences. I find creative balance and satisfaction in manipulating the forms I can produce on the lathe.”

Irven, a former artist-in-residence at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, teaches classes in woodturning and design. He also creates woodturnings for the wholesale and retail market place.

Left: Thomas Irven. Pear Box, 2010. Grapefruit wood, birdseye maple. Photo by Thomas Irven.

Mike Mikutowski is committed to excellence in design, function and workmanship. His passion is to create a design in which the natural luster and rich grain can be blended to form beautiful contrasts. Only the finest domestic and exotic hardwoods are used to inspire consistency in the quality of these functional pieces.

Mikutowski Woodworking is synonymous with high-quality craftsmanship and unmatched attention to detail. All of his unique and beautiful boxes are functional works of art, carefully handcrafted in the USA.

Above: Mikutowski Woodworking. PG-07 Pagoda Box, 2007. Cherry wood. Photo courtesy Mikutowski Woodworking.

Omar Angel Perez is a fine arts craft furniture maker based in Houston, TX. “As an artist, I can express myself using not only my mind, but my body and soul as well. Woodworking is very physical work and demands total concentration while I’m grinding away at a slab of wood or cutting fine dovetails by hand. My materials speak to me through their beauty and warmth, yet not until a piece is finished and interacts with the soul of a client does its new life truly begin.”

On his Stilett-O Series: “As an expression of appreciation, I offer my gratitude to all women who endure the torture of wearing such heels. Your sacrifice does not go unnoticed. Thank You.”

Left: Omar Perez. Various boxes in cherry, zebrawood, curly maple, wenge, lacewood. Photo courtesy the artist.

“I have a BA in art history and a MA and MFA in painting, so I’m not qualified to be a folk artist, but my work is generally referred to as folk because that is what it looks like. I don’t mind how people label me as the ‘Whistle Lady.’ This gives me a category all my own, and all of my sculptures do have a whistle somewhere in them. I have loved woodworking ever since I was a kid messing around in the garage with my dad and older brother. I have equally loved things that are humorous, from Mad Magazine to Monty Python to the evening news. I believe that the essence of good art is that it is attractive enough to draw you in for a closer look, yet has sufficient content to make the time you spent with it worthwhile.”

Above: Connie Roberts. Condom Packet Whistle. Hand-carved wood. Photo courtesy the artist.

Matt Thomas was introduced to woodworking by his father when he was 14. A few years later his parents urged him to participate in a jury session at Tamarack: The Best of West Virginia’s retail gallery. Jeff Fetty, a Tamarack juror and local blacksmith, invited Thomas to apprentice at his shop from 1998 to 2002. Thomas slowly increased his skills and responsibilities, eventually contributing design ideas.

Matt launched Thomas/Work in 2002. Each of his designs begins as a sketch, then is adapted to three-dimensions on
the computer so he can view it from all angles. From there he creates a prototype. Successful pieces are added to one of his three lines: the traditional inspired line, the contemporary line and the hybrid line refers to pieces that merge wood with iron.
“I want people to appreciate and enjoy timeless design.”

“Many years ago, my grandfather, Paul R. Smith, introduced me to turning on the lathe. I am at the point in my life that I have the time to rediscover the joy of creating handcrafted wood items. I use the lathe as the primary tool in the creation of my art and craft. Further work is sometimes done off the lathe. I may carve, burn, texture and dye some pieces in order to further bring forth the beauty in the wood.”

“I use many rare tropical hardwoods in the creation of my items. When possible, I buy small pieces of wood and cut-offs that otherwise might be discarded. I feel this best uses this natural treasure. I also use a substantial amount of what I call reclaimed lumber. New housing developments and tree trimmers have been great sources for this wood that would otherwise clog our landfills. I have a vested interest in forest conservation and work toward a balance in the stewardship of this resource.”

Above: John Van Domelen. Urchin Bowl, 2012. Turned, carved of black tupelo. Photo courtesy the artist.