AMI Member Profile

 

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I started doing marquetry in 1988 while looking for a particular painting style to decorate a furniture project I was working on. In my research I found the style of design I was looking for but it was a pictorial marquetry piece, not a painting.

Over the next couple of years I taught myself what I could from books. After this I had doubts that I was doing it right so I took a 2 hour class at the Woodworkers Store in Minneapolis. The instructors were Ken Kollar and Oskar Schreiner, who showed me how to utilize bevel-cutting and knife techniques respectively.

Louis Seize Secretaire (Louis XVI)

Since I was not entirely new to marquetry I was able to adapt myself rather quickly. What I came away with was the realization that there are many ways to do marquetry and I set about to learn as many as I could. The techniques that I have acquired, plus some that were developed through experimentation on my own, have allowed me to work unrestricted in this medium.

My work is divided pretty equally between pictorial and applied marquetry, using bevel-cutting for the former and the 'donkey' for the latter.

Urn (R side of Secretaire)

I use a 19" X 50" screw-press in my workshop with a sheet of 1/16" automotive gasket material to even out the marquetry assembly. I prefer hide glue as an adhesive and shellac as a finish.

The pictorial marquetry that I do is designed by me and contain subjects that I find interesting. When the subject has your interest, the creative process flows more easily and you enjoy every step of marquetry.

 

My other hobbies are working with computers, maintaining my web site and photography.

As an active member of the Lakeland Chapter, I try to give at least 1 demo a year that covers some aspect of marquetry that is lesser known. The diversity of our members is inspiring when one sees how so many people have adapted in different ways to create marquetry.

"Floral"

I was also a member of the Marquetry Society of America, now defunct, which folded in 1996. After 25 years of operations its leadership could not continue for various reasons, including no one would volunteer to fill the vacant positions.

It is for this reason that I have volunteered to succeed Dave Peck as the AMI Editor. Until that time I will serve as Assistant Editor and hope, with my help, that the AMI will remain the voice of marquetarians in America for many years to come.

The AMI Newsletter helps to link it's membership together for the advancement of marquetry, exchange of ideas and share what's new about this ancient art. I like to think we are just getting started.

"Paris"

 

 

Editor's Note: To learn more about Ron and his marquetry, click on the link below.