Sheets of wood veneer almost as thin as card stock make up the palette I use to create pictures and designs. Some of the veneer comes from trees I never heard of until I took up marquetry four years ago. Exotic colors and grain continue to entrance me. Not long ago, in the midst of a marquetry project, I also became intrigued by a tiny, solitary visitor.
Kindly excuse me while I write an elegy
for the gnat which dared to walk
a straight line across my workbench.
It appeared there for a time whenever I did,
a brave little life indeed,
having flown far from the plant where it was born
to revel alone in the smell of Douglas fir,
to taste the fine dust of paldoa and plane tree
till the day it plunged to its death
in my open jar of glue,
from which I reverently retrieved it
with a corner of paper towel.
There it lay more beautiful in death than in life,
its body an arc, its wings fully open —
a work of art preserved forever
by the white polymer on which it died.
Based on a true story. No gnat has appeared again at my workbench since the day of that fatal fall into my Elmer’s glue. Curious about marquetry? Find out more on Handmade on the Front Range, my older blog about artisans.
That made me smile. Did you keep the gnat? Love your writings!!
No, I didn’t keep the gnat. It lies buried on the southwest edge of the city, presumably surrounded by things it would have enjoyed when it was alive.
Glad you’re enjoying What Sally Writes, Dorothy.
Very cute! You are multi talented
Thanks, Carol, for your thoughts.
Cute story and lovely work. Patience must be your guide for creating the lovely showpiece.
I’m glad you enjoyed the picture and the tale, Nancy. Yes, marquetry does take patience, which scares away woodworkers I know, though their craft requires phenomenal precision.
What a beautiful item. As for the gnat, sorry. Should we send a sympathy card to his relatives? You are certainly a very talented person. Enjoyed reading your article.
Thank you for the compliments, Marilyn. I hope you will come see the pictured art hanging with two more designs I made to create a set of three. You can express your condolences to the gnat’s relatives then – if we can find them!
Very nice, Sally. Thanks for sharing your world.
Thank YOU for being there to share it with, Michael.
Sally,
I am greatly impressed with your creative talent and great craftsmanship – or – craftswomanship! Truly a work of art!
How many hours did you invest in this gem?
Peace! Jerry
Thank you for your praise; it means a lot.
I don’t watch the clock when I’m doing things that give me joy, but I probably could have done the cutting and basic assembly in a day, even if I took time for lunch.
That was a nice little respite from the usual emails. I enjoy those brief moments. There was a spider in my bathroom the other morning. Funny little thing, kind of like a crab. I picked it up (with a tissue, and took it outside. I wondered where it would end up. And then forgot about it until now.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Carol.
I periodically wonder how an insect came to be all by itself (so it seems) in my house and how it manages when it’s suddenly moved outside to a place it didn’t choose. I’m not taking up entomology, though. I prefer the sense of wonder.
You have a lovely way with words, Sally.
Thank you, Gwynne. Your words are lovely to me, too.
That was nice Sally. I felt like I was experiencing the gnat with you! Thank you for sharing.
Considering your love of animals, Becky, I’m not surprised. But thank you for telling me.