Kingdom of Marquetry

My Dad completed a marquetry kit when he was in his final year after suffering from cancer. It lies in a cupboard awaiting some restoration work before I will put it back out on display. When I was given a Marquetry kit of a kingfisher as a teenager, it started of an interest that has carried me through to today. I have seen some of the work from Peter Mort and his cohorts in the Leeds Marquetry Group and I only amazed at the skill and patience it would take to complete some of their pieces. I am by no means in the league of the Leeds folk and hope to spend some time with them at some point to learn. I have a lot of questions for them to answer on how they work and how they have solved some of the problems that beat me when I do Marquetry.

The Kingfisher above is one of my own compositions. I have to admit to a bit of cheating as not all the dots in the plumage are true veneer, but dyed pieces of wood added in. My dabblings are minor affairs but no more enjoyable, I will endeavour to use Marquetry in carving as well but as yet I haven’t thought of the ideal project.

I have another couple of pieces which were kits that show some progression, but as yet no photos.