Hand crafted

The design process

Designing
I hand picked each wood plank, searching for unique patterns, coloring and shapes. Each serving board is handmade one at a time, designed from the unique quality of each piece of wood to create a dramatic presence. I like to line the wood against a wall to study the grain patterns and shapes, mixing and pairing distinct and unique qualities. I measure and mark each plank to cut into manageable lengths and begin to shape the designs.

Building
Depending on the design I’m creating, I will align patterns and textures to enhance the natural character of the wood. Sometimes, such as with the Woven Boards, I layer patterns over and over, breaking direction and lines to find new designs. This is a slow process of planning, cutting, bonding and repeating until I find in the piece what I’ve been looking for. Working from the inside out, the layers come together in a block, with rough edges and surface. Each block is then planed for an even surface, leveling and removing uneven textures.

Shaping
The best part, I begin to cut away at the block to find a perfect shape, sometimes responding to a live edge piece or playing off the patterns of the grain to find balance. Each board must also serve a purpose, a way to enhance how it is being used- a practical form for serving, while adding warmth and character.

Finishing
Each board goes through a multi-step finishing process starting with full surface sanding with a medium grit sanding surface to remove rough edges. Next,the boards are sprayed to raise the grain, dried, then sanded again with a fine grit sandpaper. I repeat this process 1 or 2 more times as needed until a smooth, fine surface is achieved.
When the preparation is complete I coat the boards twice with high quality 100% food safe wood oil and let it sit to prime the board for use. I then buff the boards and apply our own Black Rock Artisans Board Wax, let it sit once more, then buff and rebuff to condition and seal the board for use.