The Artist

Steve Gray, presents a few examples of his work.

Steve, as a charter member of the former International Marquetry Society (ICMS) and a member of the Marquetry Society of America, has been doing Marquetry now for a number of years. While Steve concentrates mainly on picture marquetry, he has other woodworking interests like woodturning and cabinet making. By being a Computer Engineer Steve says he is using computers to create the patterns/designs for his work, sometimes from photos and sometimes from scratch. Steve gets most of his veneers from his friend Dave Bilger, owner of B&B Rare Woods. A place like, Steve says, where Marquetry Artists can get the most unusual, unique and interesting pieces of veneer for their pictures. Steve is also experimenting with oil painting which he says unlike Marquetry gives almost instant gratification.

While Steve was active with the ICMS, they held 3 international shows in the Denver area and had a very good response from around the world by some of the most famous artists. Steve says that he felt honored to enter in those shows and to be able to compete with artists of that caliber.

Please take a moment to look at some of the examples of Steve's work displayed here. There is a picture of "Delicate Arch" from Arches National Park, Utah. Steve entered this one in the 1993 International Marquetry Society Show and got an honorable mention for it. There is an interesting picture of a fish (3rd place 1992 ICMS show) leaping from the surface of the river. Although difficult to see, it is an example of how to use a single veneer, which has unique colourings, to create the image or movement of a subject. Also, there is a picture of "Gray's Peak" (3rd place 1993 ICMS show), no it's not Steve's mountain, but an actual 14,270 foot mountain in the Colorado Rockies. This picture is more of a traditional type but the way the wood grain is used gives the illusion of depth.

Steve has sold pieces of his work in the past and would be willing to custom make a piece if anyone is interested. Please contact Steve at stevegra@sprynet.com for more info.

Click here to see his work.