Notes on veneer
I have been thinking about the qualities of veneer. As a metaphor it signifies a surface, a cover up, hidden depth under a fine layer. I like these associations and find it is interesting to think about them relation to how the material is used. The very flatness of veneer could be exploited more in Marquetry rather than being applied to another surface.
Traditionally being an alternative to inlay into a solid surface, Marquetry as a cover up acts as a playful 'trick' being easier to execute than inlaying itself. The use of Trompe-l'oeil seems to have grown from this- effectively being used in Marquetry a lot. The play between 2 and 3 dimensions seems a natural way to work with the technique because there is such a fine line between the two in this case.
I have been drawn to working in a playful way with some of my initial experiments.
I find I am looking toward wood in general in my process, connecting the solid form to veneer. Refering to wood in the broadest sense seems important to begin to understand the material and how something so solid and imposing as a tree is reduced to such fragile sheets; and similarly how this then returns to be a 3D 'covering' after being worked.
Marquetry is a very precise activity. Getting a slice of veneer to fit perfectly within another is harder than it sounds.
There are a variety of techniques for doing this, most commonly a scalpel is used to cut a window in the first sheet, the second veneer to be inlaid is then placed behind this first window. After fixing the two in place the scalpel can then be run along the edge of the window tracing the shape onto the veneer below. After careful cutting the shape can be fitted into the gap and secured with adhesive.
Having developed an Art practice that alot of the time could be deemed to lack precision and even skill, attempting something requiring so much patience might be hard. Despite this not all aspects of Marquetry require you to squint over a cutting board for hours on end; at least I don't think they do. Creating some more immediate work will be good to try alongside more ambitious ideas.
I think perhaps this is one of the differences between the craftsman and the Artist in this particular project anyway. Developing the skills and techniques and being able to use these seamlessly I imagine far outweighs the need to use Marquetry conceptually for most hobbyist Marquetarians. Not to say the subject means nothing in this sense, or is irrelevant because I don't believe that is the case. Having a project and completing it to the best standard is something I would hope for too. Having the discipline to perfect the techique above all other concerns however is something I don't necessarily feel I am aiming for.
One of the things that attracts me to Marquetry is the material itself. Working in wood has so many possibilities and connotations. I like the idea of connecting with nature through its use. As a starting point this seems more appropriate for me than beginning by trying to simply apply techniques to my work without considering just what Marquetry is conceptually.
The aesthetic appeal of a Marquetry picture is something I personally find difficult and the types of images produced in the main by Marquetarians would certainly not to be everyones taste. There is a kitsch quality to much of the work I have experienced in the past but I think this has more to do with subject matter than anything. Inevitably questions of taste and indeed fashion are part of this and considering the history and traditional uses of Marquetry how this sits with a more modern aesthetic can be a challenge. I will try to think more about this as I progress.
What I don't want to do in this project is to criticise the use of the craft in the world of Marquetry; which is incidently a very thriving global community. The UK Marquetry Society was founded in 1952, affiliated to it are many local groups throughout the country. The Staffordshire group, whom I am connecting with during this project are one of these and can lay claim some very talented members. The group also has an excellent website. Links below
http://www.marquetry.org/
http://www.staffsmarq.freeserve.co.uk/
If anyone would like to contact me regarding the project please get in contact [email protected]
I hope to chart the development of this project here, posting my thoughts on what I am doing and some of the work I will hopefully produce. Questioning the relationship between Marquetry and Art may also create a space for discussion within the work. Asking questions will be as important as attempting to find answers.
But What is Marquetry?
Marquetry is the practice of inlaying wood veneers. It is a craft more commonly associated with traditional furniture making where designs are cut into veneer and applied to objects.
Marquetry is sometimes referred to as painting with wood, where typically an image is created using different types of veneer, the artist exploiting different colours and textures in the material in the same way a traditional painter would.
These are the basic definitions which I hope to expand upon and think about more as I progress. In general though Marquetry seems to be something that is less well known of or documented than other crafts. I find this interesting considering the obvious relationship that it has with painting, certainly in the traditional sense. I wonder why this is?
In recent years there seems to have been a boom of interest in updating and reimagining various forms of craft. Perhaps I will discover that Marquetry has been a part of this or maybe it is yet to be rediscovered.
