My New Venture in Furniture Making...

The past few months I've been working with a cabinet maker and learning all about furniture making. It's a great step forward for me, and I'm really enjoying it. I still feel very new at it and am facing new challenges every day, but I'm quite determined to become great at it. I'm looking forward to the day when I have the skill set to go in the shop and make my own furniture from beginning to end. You'll recognize them from the beautiful woodburnings that will decorate them. I still have a ways to go. But until then, here are some pictures of some pieces we've been working on.

This is a gorgeous mantlepiece that has been one of our main projects for the past few months. The installation took about two weeks and was a huge eye opener for me, as I was still very new to the whole process. I think it came out amazing, and am very proud to have been a part of it.

This corner cabinet was strategically designed to hide the part of the mantlepiece that protruded from the other side of the wall from the living room into the dining area. It has a distressed finish that we created by...well, that's a secret. You might recognize this look on the frames I made for my artwork. The antique style compliments the woodburnings perfectly, as well as this corner cabinet.

Finally we have this cherry vanity. I think the finish on this came out absolutely gorgeous- it's hard to tell from the photo, but it is so shiny and smooth, it's almost like glass. So as you can see, I've been a little busy. More woodburning artwork coming soon!

Woman In Garden

Here is my next woodburning from the same series (see below). I love her pose, the shape of her body made for a great composition and flow of the piece. I'm not exactly sure who this is, there was no info written on the back of the photo. Maybe a great aunt? If this doesn't top the Mona Lisa, I don't know what will!

Old Family Photo Album

Come on now, who doesn't love puppies? I recently came across some old family photos dating from over a hundred years ago. I've always loved old fashioned photos, and judging from their remarkably good condition, these albums must have been tucked away for quite some time. Girl with Puppy is part of a woodburning series from the family album. More coming soon! Be sure to come check out these new pieces at the Viking Hotel's Christmas Craft and Artisan show on Saturday, November 28th!
1 Bellevue Ave. Newport, RI 10am to 5pm. See you there!

Portsmouth, RI

A quaint little windmill in Portsmouth, RI. The water was a bit of a challenge for me, but I think it panned out alright. Thanks to family friend, John Hopf for letting me use his photography for inspiration. Happy Birthday to John, who turned 90 this week. (Or 89...he's not really sure.)
Hand woodburned on 12"x12" baltic birch.

Newport Sculpture By The Water

Here is my next piece from Newport. It was a beautiful, sunny day outside so I dragged Steve with me once again to go take some more photographs. The weather is definitely starting to get cooler, so I'm trying to take advantage of these nice days we've been having. Soon all the flowers and leaves will be all gone- but pumpkins are starting to pop up, so I'm thinking of doing some fall inspired burnings in October. Look for this and my other work at the Scituate Art Festival coming up in just a few weeks!
Woodburning on Baltic Birch, 13"x10"

Cinque Terre, Italy

A friend of mine goes on a sailing trip every year, and always comes back with some amazing photographs from around the world. This one he took in Cinque Terre, Italy, and has been hanging on his office wall for years. I asked him if I could use it for my next masterpiece - and here it is. Enjoy! To purchase this item or to see more of my work, visit my online store at Etsy.com!

Rosecliff Statue

I've always loved visiting the gorgeous mansions in Newport, RI. Every summer growing up, we would take a drive along scenic Ocean Drive and take a tour of one of the multi-million dollar historical homes on Bellevue Ave. This summer, Steve and I visited Rosecliff for the Garden Show. I had him take a picture of this beautiful statue out on the lawn with it's huge flower arrangement. I love this style, and hope to go back soon to take some more pictures of the beautiful flowers and statues in Newport to add to this collection. Hand woodburned on 13.5"x9.5" oval.