A short while ago, a few months maybe, my fiancée introduced me to the fascinating art, and world, of marquetry.  For me, it was a genuine and unexpected real eye opener into yet another truly incredible world.

Now, it should be at this juncture, that I think I ought to tell you that my aforementioned fiancée was, and still is, a successful award winning member of a particularly prestigious and long established marquetry group.

This mention here of my fiancée has, of course, a most particular bearing on this little story, as you will soon to be finding out.

And, - “Oh, by the way, I nearly forgot” -, that ‘particular group’ just mentioned is none other than the very well known: Redbridge Marquetry Group.

My initial introduction to the art of pictorial marquetry was in the form of checking out the on-line galleries of the Redbridge Group web site. The quality of the marquetry work, and, the amazing use the veneers had been put to, really inspired me. I never thought that wood could ever replace paint in such a surprising and convincing way. 

The primary effect on me from discovering this most unusual way of making pictures, was for me to get myself along to the next Redbridge Group meeting as soon as possible and see what could be done about becoming a group member in my own right.

Thereinafter, it was to be at the very next Wednesday meeting that my fiancée introduced me to the group and, to my immense joy I was actually enrolled, there and then, as a new group member.  
 

Marquetry, I would say, seems to be able to bring out the best in people. It was so wonderful to me, to be able to go round the group on that initial visit, be introduced and then individually meet every one of those talented marquetarians.

They were all so friendly and forthcoming with advice and helpfulness that I was instantly at ease and almost raring to have a go at starting a picture on my very first group meeting.

Unfortunately you can’t really dive straight into cutting a marquetry picture, you do have to have some sort of subject or design to begin with! With that task in mind, I sought the help of the other group members.

Being the seasoned and experienced marquetarians that they are, they helped me to choose a suitable subject for a beginner to start their marquetry career with. We looked through many designs and I eventually plumped for a picture that featured a boy climbing (or ‘ascending’ as in the title of this piece) a mountain.

There were several good reasons for choosing this picture, the main and most appropriate one being that the subject metaphorically reflected my forthcoming task for ‘conquering’ the perceived struggle of completing my very first marquetry picture!

Luckily for me I had my fiancée on hand to help me with my intrepid first forays into cutting the veneers.

With her help and with the added help of the Redbridge ‘old hands’, I actually found it much easier than I thought it would be. 

The trickiest part was choosing the right veneers, but again, with my  fiancée’s and the ‘old hands’ help, the choosing of veneers became a very enjoyable experience, especially when realising how the grain pattern and figuring of the veneers could be used so imaginatively.

I would never have thought you could make wood do such amazing things!

It is always so pleasant and genuinely useful to have the benefit of such knowledgeable folk on hand for instant ready advice.

Those new skills I have already learnt, and in such a surprisingly short time, have really amazed me;

my progress as I work to the completion of my very first marquetry picture, is simply astounding. This is in no short measure due to the superb guidance the group is giving me.

With a bit of luck I may have my picture completed and ready in time for the next Redbridge Group competition, but there’s still a way to go yet.

I’ve still yet to master the complexities of stringers, borders, mounting, finishing and flattening before the picture is finished.

These tasks do indeed (to me) look daunting, but with the help of my fiancée and the other members of the group, I’m pretty sure I shall get there on time. 

So, I will keep “plodding on” in the metaphorical manner of that young intrepid mountaineer who just happens to be the subject of my picture (if you will allow me such an analogy)

I too will eventually reach the top of my own mountain, although for me, this will actually be the slopes of my marquetry proficiency hill. 

I am truly finding this new marquetry hobby to be wonderfully interesting and exhilarating in its own peculiar way. It is very pleasing to have joined a group of people who are really friendly and helpful, and who are particularly willing to share their abundant skills with me.

I would genuinely recommend marquetry to everyone, it is one of those rare hobbies you can sit down and thoroughly enjoy doing, plus, of course, at the end of the process, you will have a lovely picture to display on your wall.

Since joining the Redbridge Marquetry Group I’m pleased to have made friends with many new people and now hope to continue enjoying my new hobby, eventually (with a little luck) becoming an award winner in my own right.

I’m also looking forward to meeting lots of new members to the group; I hope they’ll enjoy themselves as much as I’m doing.

They certainly won’t regret the experience – I’m loving it!