On Choosing Wood Trees have six distinguishing features which I use to highlight my work: (1) Heartwood comes from the center of the tree, and is responsible for the primary color of the wood. Virtually all of my work is made without stains or dies, but relies on the natural colors of the wood itself. (2) Sapwood lies at the outer edge of the tree, and is typically white or gray. Many furniture makers won't use sapwood, as they consider it a defect. I feel that is very much a part of the wood, and helps a piece reflect the tree from which it came. It also creates contrast by providing a much wider yet natural color range in a piece. This dresser is an excellent example. It's made of American Sycamore (the yellow wood) and Walnut (the brown wood). On both the drawer fronts and the sides you can see the heartwood as the darker yellow, and the sapwood as the nearly white areas. On the top you can clearly see the white areas of sapwood at the front and back edge. Sapwood is a bit softer and more porous than the heartwood, but a durable finish will thoroughly protect it. (3) Bark is the 'skin' or the outer edge of the tree. Bark is extremely soft and porous and therefore structurally inferior, but on the edge of a table top or desk it provides a beautiful accent called a "live edge." This desk has a live edge on its top and on the upper shelf. (4) Branches create both knots and complex grain patterns in the wood. This table top is a good example of how I use the knots in my work. The almost black areas on the top are knots, and the interaction between tree and branch can be seen in the complex grain patterns surrounding the knots. Many furniture makers avoid knots and consider them defects, but I believe they add a uniqueness and depth of character. (5) Grain is created by the annual rings, which are seasonal growth variations in the density of the wood. Grain creates the lines, whorls and patterns that you see. (6) Figure is the word used to describe unusual variations in the the grain pattern of a particular board or veneer. It is highly prized by woodworkers, as it creates beautiful and sometimes spectacular variations in the way the wood reflects light. Figure can cause a wood to appear to undulate or move as you move near the piece. Examples of figure include: beewsing, fiddleback, tiger, ripple, mottle, spalting, burl, and birdseye. Different genus woods exhibit different figuring. Maple, for example, can have either fiddleback (so named for its use in violins) or birdseye. Changes in the direction of growth of the wood fibers cause figuring. It frequently occurs around knots, near the roots, and around a fork or crotch in the tree. It is also caused by wind damage, changes in climate, disease, and insects. By carefully selecting each individual board and arranging the boards according to grain pattern, color and character, I achieve a unified whole. My work produces timeless, unique pieces that will last lifetimes, rooted neither in the past nor the future.