Finding somewhere to locally showcase my work was a dream that has finally come true. An amazing opportunity to take advantage of a very light and open space in the foyer of a local physio centre became available. Although not the most obvious place for my work, Catherina Berkau, the manager at the centre, had received such positive feedback on a piece I had refurbished for her, it felt like a good place to start. With a lot of enthusiasm, it was agreed that I would trial some pieces.
The existing TV mounted on the wall was too good an opportunity to resist and a short video showing my work process also became an option. After setting up the pieces for display, I then started working on this gorgeous vintage desk I picked up recently. It was challenging to remember to document the process. Many times I just finished some aspect only to realise I had not taken photos or a video. Nevertheless, I did my best to document enough to be able to create a short video. Interestingly, I sold this piece before I had even finished it. It really is gorgeous.
Rather than write too much about the process, I thought I would share that video here instead. When I started peeling back the layers and removing some of the worst signs of wear and tear, I discovered the top and sides was covered in teak veneer. Such a gorgeous wood and tone. Because the legs and trim were not teak, I stained these to blend in with the veneer which I used Hardwax oil (Oli Natura) on. The black painted areas (here I used Fusion Mineral Paint’s Coal Black) frame the wood beautifully. The images on the drawers were hand drawn and painted taking inspiration from Zentangle. If you have never heard of this drawing technique, do a DuckDuck search (google if you must) and let yourself be inspired.
So here it is.
The black and white photo in the background is by the incredibly talented Silke Seybold. You can find her on Instagram or website.
Well done!