Artistry in Wood

2011 NATIONAL MARQUETRY EXHIBITION GALLERY

Our National Marquetry Exhibition 2011 Gallery is currently available on this web site. Select your link to enjoy either a slide show of the award winning exhibits, or a leisurely wander through our gallery pages where you can examine each exhibit at your leisure in finer detail. >>

Don't forget, we have also launched a very high quality DVD of the 2011 National Marquetry Exhibition where you can check out every exhibit in the finest of detail. See the box below for details.

Email for more info at:

peter@marquetry.org

or

if you are using Windows Mail
or Outlook Express, just
click the link below to
open a preaddressed
Email form:
"DVD offer"

"A Beginners Guide"

"Geometric Marquetry DVD Preview"

"Alan Townsend Presents"

"Techniques & Tips"

OTHER ENTRIES GALLERY 2011

February 2012 brings us 'Room 5' of our 2011 "Other Entries" gallery where exhibits, that unfortunately missed out on achieving an award at this year's National Exhibition, nonetheless still attain the chance of displaying their artistry and craftsmanship in their own special gallery.

This "Other Entries Gallery" follows on from the same highly successful gallery of the same name that we introduced a couple of years ago.

The 2011 exhibits replaces the 2010 exhibits on a month by month basis until all the rooms of the gallery have been changed. This method ensures that each exhibit gets to be displayed for at least a full year.

If any other rooms are required they will be updated to the 2011 entries on a pro rata basis as each update goes by. Therefore the July 2010 update saw a Room 9 being added with the remaining 2009 entries on display. That July update used up the last of the remaining 2009 National Exhibition entries.

Click the links to visit 'Rooms 1 to 9' of the Other Entries Gallery >>>

MARQUETRY IN IRAN

Iran is one of those countries so often in the news these days for mostly political issues; but politics is not one of those things we do here, ourselves we live in the more ethereal sphere of the wonderful world of marquetry.

Marquetry, no matter where it originates from, is a universal joy for all who are involved in the art, whether they are the makers or, just purely anyone at all who marvels at the beauty of a wonderfully produced picture created from nothing more than simple wood veneers as the prime artistic medium.

The art and craft of marquetry has been around since biblical times, and any country with a rich history of decorative art dating from those distant times is obviously going to have artistic traditions reflecting those very centuries of just such wonderful artistry.

Iran itself comes into that noble category of ancient art forms which have matured into a superbly crafted representation of the country's artistic lineage.

But don't just take our word for all of this, click the links and see for yourself >>>

Current
&
Ongoing

NATIONAL EXHIBITION'S from 1976

Our February update brings you another selection from National Exhibitions gone by.

This latest selection comes from the 1992 National Marquetry Exhibition.

The earliest colour pictures we feature in this Early National Marquetry Exhibition pages (or rooms) come from our 1976 Exhibition. Earlier exhibition photos are in monochrome and will appear elsewhere on our web site.

Some of the work will be familiar to many of you - and much of it will be distant memories, or even "new" in relative terms.

Anyway, we hope you will enjoy this month's selections and wonder again at the superb work of yesteryear.

Unfortunately, with the massive slide collection that these photos derive from, we are afraid to say that reference notes were not always included as to the work's titles or names of the Marquetarians who made the pieces.

Thanks are due to those kind people who recognised the pictures and sent in the correct information about the titles and makers of most of those 'temporarily titled' pictures.

If anyone recognises one of those 'temporarily titled' works, especially if it is their own, could they contact us and supply us with those details so that we can attribute each work appropriately.

Just a quick e-mail would be most helpful.

The February 2012 addition is labelled "1992-B" >>

Includes
all information
on these
subjects
since
September
2007

"WE'VE HAD THIS PICTURE FOR YEARS, CAN YOU TELL US ANYTHING ABOUT IT?"

(Plus further "BUCHSCHMID & GRETAUX INFORMATION")

This question is often put to our editorial team - and I'm pleased to say that most of the time we are able to come up with an appropriate answer to the query.

Even though we have extensive archives and abundant knowledge on all matters marquetry, sometimes we can get "caught out" when trying to identify the maker of an early and very individual piece.

For this reason we introduced our "Can You (We) Help?" page in 2007. This section of the web site has proved popular with our visitors, so for that reason we have expanded the facility.

Thanks to your collective input, we have quite a considerable amount of BUCHSCHMID & GRETAUX information available on pages 2 to 36 of "Can You (We) Help?" that will help to answer many of your questions on this mysterious company.

Do note though, that the information we display on our pages are "as supplied" to us and do not constitute the Marquetry Society's own opinions on the subject. Such observations as we make are purely that, just observations and not guaranteed opinions from which to formulate a judgement by.

If you are able to find better informed information on the B & G subject, please refer to that in preference where any confirmed accuracy is required.

Nonetheless, it's another "well done" to everyone of you who are contributing to this now, rather unique resource. It is your input which is helping to make this section of the web site so very popular and useful to collectors of these beautiful Buchschmid & Gretaux pieces.

MEMORY LANE PAGE 10

A wonderful find of an old sketch copying system for marquetry designs has turned up at our offices.

It predates computers and scanners by a goodly margin. It's an ingeniously simple piece of kit, but nonetheless, well worth checking out.

Click the link and see what we were using before computers and photocopiers came on the marquetry scene >>>

HARROW GROUP WEB SITE

Harrow Marquetry Group launched their own web site with our June update.

You'll find loads of information about this very successful group in their web site. So, don't hold back, click the link and enjoy an online visit to the Harrow Marquetry Group.

For more information about the Harrow Group please click the link >>

MARQUETRY IN HUNGARY

Hungarian marquetry artist Zsolt Sesztak has developed an interesting method of introducing depth, shadow and shading to his marquetry work.

These new methods certainly appear to work astonishingly well and produce some startlingly realistic pieces made entirely from veneers.

But don't just take our word for all of this, click the link and see for yourself >>>

RECOMMENDED SUPPLIERS

We have rather neglected upgrading our Recommended Supplier's list this past year. With our December update, that oversight has been put to right.

The supplier's list now includes recommendations from our members in the USA. All the recommendations are made from personal dealings with the suppliers - and every one of them comes with the highest of praises!

Click the link and check out those suppliers for yourself >>>

MARQUETRY COURSES

We are often quizzed about where to find Marquetry Courses which will teach you the techniques in a structured format.

Our usual reply is for the inquirer to consider joining a group, as can be found in our Clubs and Groups directory; but this does not suit everyone, and is often inconvienient for many people.

Therefore we have added a new Marquetry Courses directory to this web site. For a list of 2011 marquetry courses. Click the link to view the directory >>>

DORIS DAY

George Chisholm, a marquetarian of the highest calibre, made a marquetry portrait of the actress Doris Day last year.

As he is a fan of Doris Day, George offered Doris the portrait as an appreciation of the joy her films have given him over the years. George was more than pleased when Doris accepted his offer and now has the portrait on display in her USA home. Click the link to see the portrait for yourself >>

A RESTORED PERIOD TABLE

Well known marquetarian Del Porter recently wrote an article on the restoration of a period table from a delapidated worm eaten sorry looking old table, to a piece of furniture almost fit to be seen in the Palace of Versailles!

This article appeared in The Marquetarian magazine and attracted a great deal of interest. We promised to post a full colour reproduction of the before and after examples here, so - as good as our word - here they are >>

CUTTER INTERVIEW

Our latest Cutter Interview features that most legendary of marquetarians, indeed the very chap who introduced the Portaiture Cup. It is no other than Horrie Pedder himself.

Click the link and read Horrie's own story of his fascinating marquetry career >>

MARQUETRY IN NORWAY & MORE BRAZILIAN MARQUETRY

Norway not only has an abundance of wonderful trees (the source of our basic marquetry material) it also has an abundance of marquetry talent.

Ole Jakob Schjetlein is a marquetry artist of considerable talent. Not only does Ole make marquetry pictures and applied pieces, he also does all the design work himself. Click the Norway link on the right and check it out >>>

Marcelo Sena from Brazil demonstrates the wealth of marquetry talent to be found in that friendly corner of the globe.

Marcelo's marquetry wood inlay titled Pietá is a wonderful example of just what can be done with simple veneers. Click the Brazil link and see for yourself >>>

MARQUETRY KIT 'SELF' ASSEMBLY

We recently acquired a couple of marquetry kits from the early 1960's which were complete - even including the original tubes of unused glue!

We have assembled one of those marquetry kit pictures and photographed it at each stage. This has been made up into a slide show and is now available here by just clicking the link on the right.

Do take a look and enjoy a marquetry picture "assembling" itself!

MARQUETRY IN RUSSIA

Russia has long been associated with impressive standards of art - marquetry of course, being among them.

Recently we have seen a great many wonderful examples Russian marquetry. Just to show you what we mean by 'impressive standards - click the link on the right and check out two examples and see what we mean for yourself >>>

SUTTON COLDFIELD GROUP WEB SITE

The Sutton Coldfield Marquetry Group has started their own web site with our August update.

Visit their site and spend a wonderful time marvelling at their superb work in both pictures and applied marquetry.

Just click the link on the right to enter their web site >>>

MEMORY LANE PAGE 8

A wonderful find has turned up, quite out of the blue, consisting of a small cache of original 1950's & 1960's marquetry kits fully complete with all their contents.

The kits are complete even down to the tube of Balsa Glue the manufacturers supplied in the box. Of course, the glue has dried into a solid "lump" in the tubes - but the nozzle has never been pierced - it's just the years that have slowly solidified the glue.

Anyway, visit our Marquetry Lane and enjoy a Marquetry Kit from yesteryear >>>

ST. ALBANS GROUP WEB SITE UPDATE

June 2010 brings lots of new additions to the St. Albans Group web site which we know you are going to enjoy.

An Inter-Group competition was held recently at the St. Albans Group rooms - and a right good event it was too! Of course the main theme of the evening was the competition itself (and not just the huge feast they laid on for us!)

So, click the link on the right and check out the winners by visiting the 2010 Inter-Group Competition at the St. Albans Group web site >>>

MARQUETARIAN ISSUE NUMBER 4

The Marquetry Society's very own publication "The Marquetarian" has been running for nearly sixty years now - and as our "The Marquetarian from the Start" series has moved on to issue number 5 in the present day publication, we are bringing you the complete facsimile of issue 4 for you to enjoy.

Unfortunately with those early issues of the publication, photos were very rarely used - if at all for the first few years! so for these first few issues it's mostly text.

However, it's still an excellent read - so click the link and read all about marquetry in the early 'fifties! >>>

PLACES TO SEE MARQUETRY WHILE ON HOLIDAY

People often ask us if we know of any good places to visit and see some top quality marquetry while they are on holiday.

After a suggestion by Einar Solgaard in the latest Marquetarian, we have adopted Einar's idea and we are now including a directory of interesting places to see marquetry while on holiday. Click the link to view the directory >>>

THE MARQUETARIAN CARTOONS

From the early 1960's up to the present date, the Marquetarian has always included a cartoon or two in its publication "The Marquetarian".

These cartoons are always marquetry based (somewhat loosely at times!) and always provide a chuckle for the readers.

It is now nearly fifty years since they first made an appearance in the Marquetarian - so, as a rather 'loose' celebration of that fact, we are bringing you an occasional series of Marquetarian cartoons.

Click the link and start chuckling >>>

MEMBERSHIP OFFER NOW CARRIED ON INTO ITS 6th YEAR!

A Continuing Offer for 2011: Due to the success of our "2 for 1" new membership only offer introduced in 2006, we have decided to extend this offer through 2011. To take advantage of this offer become a NEW MEMBER of the Marquetry Society in 2011 and get your membership subscription for 2012 totally free!!

Yes, that's right, on becoming a new member of the Marquetry Society you will be entitled to receive the second year of your membership at a 100% discount for the whole of that second year!

It is a marvellous offer and is one we are sure that you will not want to miss.
To take advantage of this exceptional offer please make use of the "special" subscription form you will find on this web site.
For a short cut to the form click the link in the box on the right:

"subscription form"

MARQUETRY IN COSTA RICA

There is some wonderfully delicate and, shall we say, "organic" style of marquetry work coming out of Costa Rica these days.

This is principally originating from the artistically manipulated craft knife and saw blade of Francisco Guillen, who is already making quite a name for himself in the central Americas.

Francisco's work endeavors to create a harmony with the very materials of his art; that being the wood itself. The pictures selected for this World of Marquetry page illustrate Francisco's sentiments perfectly. Click the link on the right for a shortcut to see for yourself. We think you will enjoy the experience >>

NATIONAL EXHIBITION AWARD WINNERS FROM 1953

Long serving member of the Marquetry Society Peter Metcalfe has spent months compiling a superb spreadsheet containing all our National Marquetry Exhibition award winners - and the awards - since the beginning of the Marquetry Society in the early nineteen fifties.

This is a large four page document and contains a lot of information, so be prepared for a good read.

Don't forget to return here once you've finished consulting this excellent document. Just use the yellow links contained in the PDF pages, or alternatively use your "Back" or "Return" browser button to return here.

GLUE TUTORIAL

Now, to most of you the subject of glue may not seem very interesting, but, this tutorial is definitely something to be recommended.

Due to a nosey bit of "ear wigging" by your web master at an Executive Committee Meeting last year, an absorbing conversation between two marquetry luminaries on the subject of glue became compulsive listening.

The conversation was truly educational, so, not wishing to miss the opportunity, your web master admitted his 'crime' and asked one of the 'overheard' if they would repeat that conversation for the web site. Being the true gentleman that he is, he graciously agreed and made the whole conversation available to us.

Click the link on the right for a really interesting read >>>

LEEDS GROUP MARQUETRY TUTORIALS

Our good friends at the Leeds Marquetry Group have recently introduced a new series of marquetry tutorials to their web site in an 'on line' slide show format.

These tutorials are wonderfully easy to follow and very instructive.

Steve (the Leeds Group web master) tells us that they already have several more tutorials in the pipe line for adding to the 'tutorial's library' later on this year. For an initial sampler, check out the Windows Method tutorial by clicking the link on the right, we know you will enjoy it. >>>

Note: Don't forget to return back here once you've finished visiting the Leeds Group web site!

REVIEWS

Our November update adds another new section to our web site.

As and when new marquetry related products appear on the market, we will be assessing selected items and bringing you reviews of them.

We start this new section with a review of famed marquetarian Silas Kopf's new book entitled "A Marquetry Odyssey".

Just click the link for the review >>>

E-MAIL CONTACT DETAILS

If you have any questions you would like to ask us, or queries about anything contained in this web site, please feel free to e-mail us by using the pre addressed form that will appear when you click the link on the right. Thank you.

To contact the Marquetry Society Web Site please click the e-mail link on the right if you are using the standard Microsoft Outlook Express:

If however you are using a different E-mail system then just copy and paste the following address in to your "send to" box:

mqstymail@redbridgemarquetrygroup.org

or, if that is not possible, then just type it in as seen above, thanks.