This was the first piece of wood art I created. Well, besides a couple walking sticks that I put symbols in (but they kind of don’t count). I made it as a Christmas gift for someone who was just starting their own videography business in a cutthroat city.
I got this slab of apricot from the same shed that my father had the black walnut in. He told me that it’s rare to have such large slabs of solid apricot. I have to say that in the four years since then, I have found that information 100% correct.
With only one piece of wood and no room for error, saying I was terrified is an understatement! Not to mention that I had never used a Dremel tool before! This specific project jump-started my love for working with wood and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
At the time, I was in a house in the middle of the city and didn’t have a shop. I was using a small table in the middle of the living room. Every time Sean came down the stairs from his office, I would cover it up by hugging it to my chest. It was a gift, you know? I didn’t want him to see what I was doing. I had never worked with wood before and he was extremely curious, to say the least! He probably figured out that I was doing something for him with the way I was acting.
The Long Journey
I have come a long way since making this custom sign. I will always look at this piece as one of my favorites though. It helped me realize how much I longed for an art form that allowed me to feel with my hands. With my digital art, it was always inside a computer screen and I could never physically feel the texture. And brushing my hands over the charcoal? It kind of ruins the outcome when you smear the medium all over the place!
I will never forget the journey of this piece and the story behind it. That alone makes it the best piece in my repertoire.
And look at the color! Spectacular, right?!
