From time to time a special order falls into my lap, allowing me to try new techniques and letting my creativity run wild. This time a client was looking for a gift for an art director of a school. No particular item in general was requested but I was able to get some clues as to the direction I should go. The school was focusing on the famous Van Gogh painting Starry Night for their annual arts fair. I was also told that the art director loved boxes. This got me thinking and the idea for the starry night box was born.
Starry night box:
This box was handmade from Walnut, Curly Maple and Purpleheart. It was finished in oil and buffed to a high polish using carnauba wax.
The lid features silver inlay, carving and intarsia techniques to create a modern take on an old favorite.
Purpleheart is a very unique exotic wood. Upon exposure to sunlight the color of this wood deepens from a dull purple to an eggplant purple to brownish purple.
Walnut is very traditional domestic wood. The colors of this wood ranges from grey to light pale brown to dark chocolate brown.
Curly maple is a remarkable wood, it is essentially a soft maple. It's name is attributed to the wavy 3D like effect that appears in the grain pattern. The color of this wood ranges from buttery yellow to a creamy white.
Unboxing the Starry Night Box
A wonderful thing happened as well working on this box and a few other items that week caused a influx of wood shavings. As it so happens nothing goes to waste in my workshop, so I decided to pack the box in wood shavings (dust free). This served two purposes: 1. It helped protect the box while it was delivered and 2. It is super eco-friendly, not to mention the curly shavings are just so cool looking!
