Hudson River Inlay
Jeffrey Nelson
Jeff has been creating marquetry artworks and furnishings since running a frame shop in the Embarcadero section of San Francisco in 1979. He has traveled throughout the country displaying my artwork and craftsmanship. After focusing on pictures for many years, He expanded the work into the mirror and table market, designing and making inlaid border mirrors and matching console tables, with a variety of themes such as Native American, floral, autumn leaves and wildlife.
His visual references are in nature and have been developed from a background discipline in painting and sculpture.
The years of practicing the technique of marquetry in illustration have culminated in the award winning series of murals entitled “Windows to the World”. Each theme reflects an environmental study and coordinated regional architecture harmonized in a visual moment in time.
Current works feature the inclusion of materials such as abalone, mother of pearl, malachite and turquoise which richly enhance the various hardwoods of traditional marquetry.
His work has been featured in various publications, such as "The Art of the Scrollsaw" by bestselling author Patrick Spielman, published by Sterling Publishing Company.
Working with 2 other artists during all these years has been a plus in all creating peaceful designs loved by all. Hans ans Eric has been working with Jeff since 1980 after their art training in Switzerland and New York, respectively.
After the design is created it is finally tweaked into a fine line graphic drawing. I decide on the wood combinations (and some other material: such as mother-of-pearl, web turquoise, stone are incorporated). I purchase the woods from several veneer sources throughout the country. The veneers and other materials are cut with many tools. The veneers are approximately 1/16 of an inch, so they are very fragile and we need to be delicate with each piece as we lay the pieces down. The pieces are individually cut according to a blueprint that I make from original rough sketches as the initial stage. After I lay the pieces down, they are adhered with wood cement to a MDF board (the same material as the furniture industry uses for tables). I then sand the pieces for a smooth finish. The work is then pressed to give even pressure and eliminate any possibility of warping or unevenness. The pieces are finished with an acetate urethane (lacquer) and a semi-gloss finish. The frames are made of maple or cherry. I purchase the woods in strips and then I have a molding machine to shape the wood for the framing. I work with one artisan as we share in the craftsmanship and critique each other’s designs so as to get the best in each of us.