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| Michael Milgram - Woodwork | |||
| Armoire | |||
| Like his house, his designs in wood follow a common theme - a mixture of sophisticated joinery and simplicity of geometrical lines that pick up the grain or colour of a board, enabling the wood to speak for itself. He particularly enjoys employing the rough (waney) edges of a board to achieve a dramatic sweep or curve, and has been infrequently caught gluing back the bark that has fallen off a board. He refers to this form as "rustic modern". Although much of his time is devoted to the construction of large items, he still finds time to maintain a small collection for sale in Valley Artisans, ranging from wooden trays to coffee tables, benches and clocks made from native burls. |
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| This knock-down armoire, constructed of red oak and American elm, resides in Montreal. The sweeping edge of the door was achieved by using the waney edge of a board that was discarded by a local sawmill. This piece is representative of the style of furniture that can be commissioned by a patient patron. | |||
| Clock | Serving Tray | Cradle Boat | Bench |
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| This clock is made from a yellow
birch burl. The back is sawn off, the mechanism inserted, and
the back reattached and pivoted so that it sits flat. |
This tray is representative of similar items
that can be found in the store, made from pieces of native (sometimes
exotic) wood that have interesting grain patterns or colour contrasts.
Much of the wood was rescued from firelogs. The joinery is through-dovetail.
Nominal size is 14"x18". |
Cradle boats have a long history as family
heirloom pieces, particularly among European royalty. Because
of the work involved, they are rarely sold commercially today,
but are usually constructed 'one-off' by handy, expectant fathers.
The triple-layered cradle boat shown was built from thin strips
of red oak using a boat-building technique called spiling. A similar
boat, built to order, can be yours - 3 months notice is required. |
This bench is constructed from a single piece
of red oak, cut and rejoined using dovetails to achieve a continuity
of grain. The bark edges present a pleasing contrast. This piece
is representative of benches, tables and bookcases made in the
same style. |