From Furniture to Precision
There’s a beautiful, symmetrical contrast when I load a delicate piece of hardwood veneer into the laser cutter while thinking back to my college days—ripping 4x4s for a trestle table or a massive four-poster bed. Needless to say, I started out on a much larger scale.
a bench Jack made in college
a four-poster bed Jack made in college
I felt the need to cover a much larger area with my construction. I wanted to fill entire rooms:
a four poster bed Jack made in college
a bench jack made in college
Always Be Knolling
But my shop teacher ended up instilling something in me that has stuck to this day. He made it our shop motto after seeing some other shop teacher on youtube make it into a thing. "Always be knolling". In this case, a picture is worth a thousand words:
knolled and arranged tools on a work bench
always be knolling graphic
And I think you can immediately see how that has become relevant in my marquetry and laser cutting practice:
the PDF vector file for the Throne sculpture
Vector design is all about nesting and arranging. But the 'always be knolling' mindset goes deeper than organizing layout lines—it’s about working smarter, not harder. What is ergonomic for the artist ultimately saves time and resources for the client. In fine woodworking, efficiency and creativity go hand in hand.
The Painter's Eye in Hardwood
an oil painting of Bowman Lake, MT Jack did in college
And oil painting! As a woodworker by trade, I have never been able to keep my hands off of paints and pigments. Which has been a good thing in my case, because I would not be able to achieve the tonal depth I do with my limited palette without my training as an oil painter:
the High Priestess Tarot Marquetry Triptych, currently in development
a black & white oil painting of a teapot Jack did in high school
an oil painting in color of a teapot Jack did in high school
I'm glad I've spent the time that I have behind the brush bringing a canvas to life with pigment because it has taught me so much about bringing a canvas to life with wood:
sacred geometry 1, currently in development
sacred geometry 3, currently in development
Oil painting not only taught me about contrast and tone, but also composition:
a black & white simple still life of shapes
a monochrome still life Jack did in college
The beauty that can be achieved though composition, even if your subject matter is a simple collection of shapes. Turns out, you don't need much more than that to create a beautiful work of art!
Washington Sunrise, from the PNW Landscape Marquetry Triptych
An Artisan Heritage
So, what do you get when you cross a custom furniture maker with an oil painter? An ébéniste—the French term for a master artisan dedicated to the craft of marquetry.
Every Flower & Fang piece is built to endure for generations. It is physical hardwood art rooted in classical visual principles, crafted by hand with decades of passion for the trade.
Whether you are drawn to rich oil paintings, fine hardwood furniture, or the perfect blend of both, our marquetry canvases bring timeless depth and weight into any space. Browse our current collection or contact us to start a custom commission.
— Jack Danger & AYOHWIN
🐀<3🐀
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