I create customized furniture and artwork for high-end clients. I have been working on custom homes since 1990.
I find working with driftwood to be fascinating because of its unique quality and texture, due to conditioning by the ocean.
I grew up in England, so living in California is something special to me. I love everything about the beach; I go there to reconnect with Mother Nature, to enjoy the waves crashing against the shoreline or just simply to swim and enjoy.
The beach has a huge spiritual meaning to me and gives me a special feeling inside. My energy is so uplifted after being at the beach, so getting involved with driftwood was a no-brainer.
Finding a piece of driftwood and giving it a new life by turning it into a beautiful piece of art gives me great satisfaction. Instead of leaving it to rot and decay on the beach, I get to watch the driftwood transform into its new life, and that is something special.
Clients let me design and build based on what their needs are. For example, for one project, I got a call from a client who constructed a bar. The contractor did a fantastic job on the bar, but something was missing.
The bar was complete but lacked life. I went to her ranch in Santa Barbara and designed and built a custom art piece out of driftwood that gave her the extra touch she was looking for.
Driftwood is such a relaxing material to work with. The process begins in finding the right pieces on the beach. I go for a drive down by the ocean, looking to see is any new wood has drifted up on the shoreline – or sometimes I just go to a favorite spot. Once I find my pieces, I bring them to my shop and start to build something with them.
Making my circles is the most time consuming process. I slice the driftwood down into 1/2″ circles and glue them one by one on the work surface.
I then let the wood dry overnight. The next day, I sand the wood down to prepare it for varnishing. After 4 coats of varnish, the grouting begins, which is very similar to tile grouting.
This also needs to dry overnight, and then finish off with another 4 coats of varnish to protect the finished piece from the elements. It is wise to collect the driftwood that has been washed up on the beach rather than take the wood that has been there forever, as I am not one to disturb the living creatures that make the driftwood their home
