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Stop by the gallery and check out John's unbelievable intarsia work in person!

Intarsia is a form of wood inlaying, like puzzle pieces. The start of the practice dates from before the seventh century AD. Intarsia actually predates ceramic mosaic work, but did not survive the ravages of time as well in the Old World. The technique of intarsia inlays sections of contrasting wood to form a design. The word intarsia may derive from the Latin word interserere (to insert).

While working for 30 years as a mechanical engineer in the pulp & paper industry, intarsia artist John Ness enjoyed spending his spare time in his workshop. He built anything from model airplanes to furniture. His mother’s side of the family was artistic with painters, stonemasons and woodcarvers amongst them.

John got started with intarsia work when he bought a gift for his in-laws and was greatly intrigued with the piece. It hangs on their living room wall, and every time John saw it he wanted to know more about this form of art. So he had to try it and discovered that he found his “calling”.

Each piece is individually crafted and finished by hand. John follows either stock patterns or patterns that he has designed himself. He carefully selects the wood to be used for each piece to highlight the features. He uses either a polyurethane or lacquer finish, depending on the woods, so no future maintenance should be required. No stains or dyes are used, all the colors are the natural color and grain of the wood.

Although John considers his intarsia work one of his favorite hobbies, we at Forest Gems see John as a professional artist and consider his intarsia work of the highest quality. We are very glad to have his pieces available in our gallery.

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Stop by the gallery and check out John's unbelievable intarsia work in person!

Intarsia is a form of wood inlaying, like puzzle pieces. The start of the practice dates from before the seventh century AD. Intarsia actually predates ceramic mosaic work, but did not survive the ravages of time as well in the Old World. The technique of intarsia inlays sections of contrasting wood to form a design. The word intarsia may derive from the Latin word interserere (to insert).

While working for 30 years as a mechanical engineer in the pulp & paper industry, intarsia artist John Ness enjoyed spending his spare time in his workshop. He built anything from model airplanes to furniture. His mother’s side of the family was artistic with painters, stonemasons and woodcarvers amongst them.

John got started with intarsia work when he bought a gift for his in-laws and was greatly intrigued with the piece. It hangs on their living room wall, and every time John saw it he wanted to know more about this form of art. So he had to try it and discovered that he found his “calling”.

Each piece is individually crafted and finished by hand. John follows either stock patterns or patterns that he has designed himself. He carefully selects the wood to be used for each piece to highlight the features. He uses either a polyurethane or lacquer finish, depending on the woods, so no future maintenance should be required. No stains or dyes are used, all the colors are the natural color and grain of the wood.

Although John considers his intarsia work one of his favorite hobbies, we at Forest Gems see John as a professional artist and consider his intarsia work of the highest quality. We are very glad to have his pieces available in our gallery.

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Our fine carved bears are made of cedar or redwood, and are available in a variety of sizes and poses. They are all hand-carved, and each is totally unique! These bears are very high quality and are finished with urethane.

Suitable for inside or outside. Some shelter is suggested for outside display, under an eave for example, or just bring inside during harsh weather.

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Our fine carved bears are made of cedar or redwood, and are available in a variety of sizes and poses. They are all hand-carved, and each is totally unique! These bears are very high quality and are finished with urethane.

Suitable for inside or outside. Some shelter is suggested for outside display, under an eave for example, or just bring inside during harsh weather.

The post Chainsaw Carved Medium Sitting Bear appeared first on Forest Gems Gallery.

The American crow is a highly intelligent, all-black bird. Crows are known for complex and advanced social behavior. This includes documented tool use, plus the ability to recognize faces and then convey warnings or suggestions about people and places, in advance, to their young. Crows show remarkable adaptability to their environment and are able to thrive in large and small groups in wildlands or cities alike. Crows often gather in large communal roosts, which can sometimes be thousands of birds strong. A group of crows is called a "murder".  Crows have a long lifespan, with the oldest recorded wild crow living over 17 years. 

The artist grew up in Southern California close to the ocean, body surfing and collecting shells and sea glass. She received a BA from Cal State Fullerton in Art. After moving to Cambria CA, she started working with driftwood, inspired by the wonderful shapes and many possibilities. Our customers love the quirkiness and character, and the dignity, of her owls, shorebirds, Santas, gnomes, and animals. She hopes that you enjoy her art as much as she enjoys creating it.

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The Buckeye root burl wood is native to Northern California, and is so densely and intricately figured that it is often mistaken for carved stone. But, it is wood!

Aesculus californica, commonly known as the California buckeye or California horse-chestnut, is a large deciduous shrub or small tree in the Chestnut family native to California and southwestern Oregon. It has an estimated lifespan between 250-280 years.

The flowers are sweet-scented, white to pale pink. The tree bears a large, round, orange-brown seed in a leathery case containing the seeds, which are poisonous. Local Native American tribes, including the Pomo, Yokut, and Luiseño, used the poisonous nuts to stupefy schools of fish in small streams to make them easier to catch.

The nectar of the flowers is toxic to the exotic Asian/European honeybee, so the trees should not be planted near apiaries. The flowers are a rich nectar source for many species of native butterflies.

The slabs used for buckeye burl slabs and carvings come from the root ball of the tree. They can be as large as sixteen feet in diameter. The trunks of the trees are used for creating art as well, as bases to support tables, etc. The root ball is removed from the earth and allowed to sit and "weather" for a year or two. This exposure to the heat of summer and the rain and cold of the winter allows leaching of the minerals imbedded in the root ball. The growth of fungi and bacterial action all contribute to the unique coloration found in buckeye.

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Arbutus is a genus of 12 accepted species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, native to temperate regions of the Mediterranean, western Europe, the Canary Islands and North America, and commonly called madrones or strawberry trees.

Madrona burl is highly prized as a decorative veneer, while Madrona lumber is a very dense and finely-grained hardwood that’s similar in appearance to fruitwoods. The wood burns long and hot, and as a result it is also used for firewood and charcoal.

Madrone’s botanical species name, menziesii, is in honor of Scottish botanist Archibald Menzies, who discovered the tree in 1792.

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