Pics of my work

[wdkits1]

I know that everyone likes to see photos of ones work so here are a few pieces that I have done and a little history. I began creating intarsia in 1992 after reading an article in Wood magazine by Judy Gayle Roberts.The article described how she was making pictures of various things using only the natural colors of different woods and using different thicknesses to give them a 3-D effect. I did a couple of her patterns and decided that I would try my hand at designing my own patterns and started collecting different woods to add more color to my projects .Back then most folks really didn't know what intarsia was so to make it easier to learn about intarsia I began selling Intarsia Project Kits to companies like Leichtung Workshops, Cherrytree toys and a few others. My kits included all of the woods, patterns and instructions needed to do the intarsia plus pre-cut frames or boxes to complete the projects.Though the years I have sold over 15,000 of my Intarsia Project Kits to woodworkers all over the world. AlthoughI don't sell as many kits as I used too I am creating many new custom pieces.

This is an Intarsia of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello made from 17 different woods and over 800 pieces. No stains, paints or dyes are used in my work.



This is a commission that I recently finished for a client in California.
It is a hummingbird keepsake box made from Mahogany and 6 other woods. 35 pieces.




This is a 1953 Ford F100 pick-up that I designed for a customer in Texas. Has 175 pieces from 13 different woods.


This is a commission that I did for an Italian restaurant here in Richmond. Has 300 pieces from 22 different woods.



Thanks for looking

[Joe Lyddon]

Beautiful work!

Thank you very much for sharing!

Where do you get your artwork? Draw it yourself?
See something you like and keep a copy?

How do you prepare the mounting surface where the wood pieces go?

I picture a picture pasted or traced onto it for guidelines...

[larryh86gt]

That is just beautiful.
Larry

[tlcneeded]

yes very nice and thank you for showing us.
im looking forward to seeing more of it.

[wdkits1]

Thanks for the comments guys
To Joe-- All of my patterns are hand drawn from subject photos that clients either send me or that I research myself. On large pieces like Monticello I use a scaled grid to keep the picture to scale and then draw the pattern. . The backer board that the intarsia is glued to is usually a piece of 1/4" luan plywood that is part of the frame or box system that I incorporate into the piece Hope this explains what you were asking.

[dicklaxt]

Thats really nice looking and nice work

dick

[triplefreak]

Can you make a Chocolate Lab box, instead of a Yellow Lab box?

[wdkits1]

Hi Triplefreak
Here is a box of a black lab that I did for a client a couple of years ago. For brown I would use a wood called brown heart or Peruvian walnut.

[Leo Voisine]

WoW - That is awesome stuff

[Jim Brown]

Great stuff. My wife has done some intarsia from magazine plans, etc. Nothing framed though ... I think the frames really make your pieces.

[maverick31]

wowwwwwwww

very impressive!!!!

[keels]

Beautiful work!

Ryan

[Doug B]

That is really nice work Mike! Thanks for sharing.

[lexrex]

Mike great stuff. Any tips for someone starting out in intarsia? Where to even begin?

[keels]

Maybe we could get Mike to post some information in the Tutorial section for all of us that are interested in starting intarsia?

[elizabeth]

This is just amazing!