Welcome to our gallery showcasing wood art sculpture and creations with a functional design. We are a husband and wife team who collaborate on each piece using both innovative and traditional wood crafting methods. Using found wood, rejected for its imperfection, we work together to call forth the story each piece has to tell.
Tim and Nancy Startup
Inspired as an archaeological alter. Prosphora was carved from a discarded piece of White Oak and cradles an offering vessel lined in gold leaf.
Inspired by Native American lore. Traditionally, many Northern Native American people named the full moon each month. February was the harshest month for hunting and foraging. Thus, the full moon in February was known as the Hunger Moon.
Our barren landscape is encircled by a bleak, black moon.
Wisconsin Cherry Burl, Wisconsin Black Walnut, Black Lacquer
12”h 14”w 4”d Sold 2/4/17
Inspired by a lunar eclipse and folklore of the ancient Philippines
The legend says that a lunar eclipse is caused by a dragon rising from the sea to eat the full moon. Luckily, he always retreats back to the sea. The name of the dragon is Bakunawa. Our dragon threatens a full moon that is a round box with a hand-made wooden hinge, all crafted of natural Holly.
Wisconsin Cherry, Holly, Wisconsin Black Walnut, Aniline Dye
18.5”h 13”w 7”d Sold July 2016
The point of equilibrium; a frozen moment. Are we watching the upward climb, or waiting for the inevitable fall? Depends, is the glass half-full or half-empty?
Maybe it's in perfect balance.
Spalted North Carolina Cherry, Wisconsin Walnut, Black Lacquer
12"h 13"w 3"d
Sold December 2016
A perfect alcove created to showcase a treasure. Removing the bark unveiled the solid wood curling around an open space. The addition of a small 'table for one' elevates your object to centerpiece status.
Wisconsin Cherry Sapwood, Spalted Tamarind, Maple
19"h 8"w 4"d Sold November 2016
And the winner is......Gold Standard!
One of a kind grain accented with gold leaf makes a worthy reward for one of a kind achievement. Woo Hoo!
Spalted Maple, Black Walnut, Gold Leaf, Lacquer
26"h 9.5"w 4"d Sold 2/5/17
If we could live in Big Sur it would be in this house on a cliff! With big windows facing the ocean. Except in this case the windows are actually drawer faces; six drawers to stash your goods while you’re California Dreamin’!
Wisconsin Cherry, Wisconsin Figured Maple, Steam-bent Walnut, Aniline Dye
7”h 18”w 15”d
Everybody has an angle, this is ours. Our hand cut facets stand in sharp contrast to the intricate and complex carvings that evolved naturally. Past, Present and Future captured in one piece.
Wisconsin Black Walnut, Lacquer
26"h 10"w 5"d
Looking like a temple artifact unearthed on the island of Crete, Minotaur is sculpted from White Pine and adorned with bronze leaf. The addition of a black lacquer shelf and two drawers make a relic relevant for today.
White Pine, Black Walnut, Bronze Leaf, Lacquer
38"h 20"w 6"d
A lone silhouette standing as a witness at cliff's edge. Sentinel is Wisconsin White Oak double matted in Black Lacquered Walnut.
58' tall x 16.5" wide x 3.5" deep
A study in contrasts.
Wildly-figured Applewood, complete with its breaks and bark edges serves as a purely natural background. Highly machined lines, laminated curves, and the refined grain of European Pearwood speak to the purely human influence.
And just to add a little more interest, what keeps those drawers from falling off their diagonal shelf?
North Carolina Applewood, European Pearwood, Wisconsin Black Walnut, Aniline Dye
40”h 22”w 8”d Sold 1/28/17
A Mah-Jong tile of a piece. Spalted grain so sharp it brings to mind a pen and ink drawing of a wave. We've added some balance with a black lacquer shelf, clean and straight, the perfect contrast.
Spalted, Wisconsin Maple, Wisconsin Walnut, Black Lacquer
17"h 8"w 4"d Sold December 2016
Sold December 2016
Double the curves, double the possibilities. Our steam bent Walnut strips curl through the base capturing a sculptural container. Ideal for a tiny treasure; but you have to know it's there.
WI Walnut, Steam bent WI Walnut, Tiger Maple, Aniline Dye
51"h 11"w 4"d
A single strip of steam bent WI Walnut weaves like thread around a needle. As it curves it captures a sculptural container. Just enough space to hide a tiny treasure, if you know it's there.
Wisconsin Butternut, Wisconsin Walnut, Tiger Maple, Aniline Dye
50"h 8"w 3"d Sold 2/4/17
A case of editing. The Maple grain is the story so we let the wood speak. We resisted the urge to embellish, to add extra elements but finally just the shelf for function.
Spalted Maple, Black Walnut, Lacquer
27"h 14"w 5"d Sold August 2016
One, Two, Three, Quattro! Four drawers faced with wonky Wisconsin Cherry showcased against Spalted Maple.
Spalted Maple, Wisconsin Cherry, Lacquer
21'h 15"w 5"d Sold 2/4/17
Book-matched Sycamore double doors, edged in Maple are the fiery focal point of this cabinet. When open you'll find 2 off-set drawers, and tiny shelves.
North Carolina Spalted Sycamore, Highly Figured Maple, Madagascar Ebony, Brass knife hinges
22”h 6”w 6”d Sold August 2015
Ambrosia Maple, drawers, cubbys and two little faces ready to delight when you open the door.
Ambrosia Maple, Figured Maple
23"h 6"w 6"d Sold August 2015
Inspired by Miami Modern Architecture of the 1950's, the clean lines echo the high-rise buildings of an era, while showcasing the beautiful, natural and dyed Tiger Maple grain. Hand shaped handle and solid brass knife hinges.
Wisconsin Figured Maple, WI Walnut, Aniline Dye
22”h 7”w 7”d Sold August 2015
A Collector’s Cabinet
A piece of Cherry too special to cut lived in the shop for over a year. But once we paired it with a Green River fossil, we were on the right track. An asymmetrical door design to showcase the fish and 12 drawers inside to curate your own collection – what could be better? Maybe a hidden space for a relic of your own?
We thought so too.
North Carolina Cherry, Wisconsin Cherry, Wisconsin Figured Maple, Green River Wyoming Fish Fossil, Brass knife hinges
24”h 13”w 7”d Sold December 2015
Wall Hung Cabinet
Sometimes walking through a lumber yard is all the inspiration we need. We saw a Black Walnut slab with a major fissure and immediately the design of this cabinet was a reality. Solid Black Walnut with an interior lined in bleached Birds-eye Maple veneer, this cabinet was created to showcase the door with its natural crease. Simply perfect.
Wisconsin Black Walnut, bleached Birds-eye Maple veneer, solid brass knife hinges
18" h 6" w 6.5" d Sold July 2016
A pure stack of 7 drawers. Clean, uncluttered, with nothing to distract the eye from beautiful, natural color. Satine Stack was accepted into the Craft Forms 2014 International Exhibition in Wayne, PA.
Satine (Bloodwood)
23.5”h 7”w 7”d Sold 1/28/17
Stunning grain that sparks your imagination. Everyone sees something different.
Spalted Maple, Ebony, Black Walnut, Lacquer
32"l4"w 4"d Sold August 2016
Natural and dyed Swoops, variation on a theme.
Materials and sizes vary.
A clean, curve of figured Maple, laminated and dyed showcases the stunning grain pattern. A deceptively simple line, always harder to produce with nothing else to distract the eye. Each Swoop we produce is a one-of-a-kind piece.
Showstopping as a table centerpiece, mantelpiece or on a shelf.
Figured Maple, Bocote, Wisconsin Walnut, Black Lacquer
32"l 4"w 4"d Sold July 2016
The engineer's answer to a Swoop. Our bridges showcase a fabulous grain and the construction of the base recalls the girders and substructure of an old trestle bridge.
Various materials & sizes, each one-of-a-kind.
Zebrawood, Wisconsin Walnut, Black lacquer
3"h 23"w 3.5"d Sold 1/28/17
A single, laminated curve, shows off distinctive wood grain, selected specifically for its high-figure. Sometimes left natural, sometimes hand-dyed, every time it's a clean, edited design for tabletop, bookshelf or mantel.
Each swoop is one-of-a-kind; various materials and sizes.
Figured Maple, Reclaimed Urban Honey Locust, Aniline Dye
42"l 4"w 4"d Sold July 2016
A clean, curve of figured Maple, laminated and dyed to highlight the beautiful grain pattern. A simple line is always harder to produce when there's nothing else to distract the eye. Each Swoop we produce is a one-of-a-kind piece.
Showstopping as a table centerpiece, mantelpiece or on a shelf.
Figured Maple, WI Walnut, Aniline Dye
30"l 4"w 4"d Sold November 2016
Spalted Maple with a base of highly figured Tiger Maple
At your service.
A little Art Deco flair in this sculptural table for one.
Sliver Maple, Black Walnut, lacquer
34"h 15"w 9"d Sold 1/28/17
A solid cross-section of a Black Walnut log, transformed into a sculptural side table. A glass top allows the full length crevice to pull you into the abyss.
Solid Wisconsin Black Walnut
25"h 13"w 13"d Sold 2/4/17
Sleek and curvaceous, a sculptural side-table, Lola waits next to your favorite chair to hold a single glass of wine or early morning cup and saucer.
Solid Wisconsin Cherry
25"h 12"w 12"d Sold Feb 2016
A solid block of WI Black Walnut forms a sculptural side-table, complete with a shelf sized for a single Pilsner glass.
Ahhh, this is the perfect complement to the oversized Man Chair.
Black Walnut
25"h 13"w 13"d Sold June 2014
A Treasure Box
A free-form Cherry Burl guitar wall sculpture. The tiny ledge keeps track of your picks and the deep purple color is fit for blues royalty. After all, Lucille was owned by the BB-best!
Wisconsin Cherry Burl, Maple, Aniline Dye
29"h 14"w 4"d
A large branch junction with the trunk of a Black Walnut had the perfect shape. After carving only 15% of the original piece remain.
Reclaimed White Oak timber about 240 years old is the rock cliff for Raptor Moon
Cherry with Epoxy to form the back bone of a new Morning Glory wall sculpture. The first spring green tendril is attached.
After constructing the Walnut base and laminating the circular "moon", attaching the "landscape" followed. Alignment was the most challenging aspect, making sure the vertical plane was perfectly true.
After removing all the bark and sanding off all of the remaining color the piece is ready to have the facets cut into the sides. The feet and the burl shelf will be added later.
Two pieces of 3/32 thin Mahogany strips are glued in a jig that produces a gentle curve, a "swoop" we call it. Most of the time the wood cooperates and emerges parallel on both ends. Sometimes not. A border will be added later along with a base to support the piece.
Matching grain, fitted drawers, recessed door magnet, brass knife hinges and handmade handles complement the stunning dyed grain of the single piece door.
Coordinating bits of color requires the handle bases be Purple Heart (like the base) and the pulls to be Satinwood (like the carcase).
Slabs of Black Walnut and Wisconsin Maple hanging out where we work. Loads of possibilities!
I know you are supposed to clean up every night before turning off the lights. I forgot, for a month, and then found this little collection in the base of the band saw. A record of the different woods passing through the blade above.
From a large limb of White Oak we removed the center section. We modified the shape and added a black base and then the Bronze leafing.
