Today I had the opportunity to sit down with custom woodworker, Pete Rodrigues, to hear about his latest design which is on display at Hillsborough Gallery of Arts and will be in their Juried Show next Friday, January 25th from 6:00 - 9:00 pm. The event will feature two and three-dimensional art from area artisans. John Coffey, Curator of American and Modern Art, at the NC Museum of Art will be the presiding awards.

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Pete is incredibly gifted at highlighting the natural beauty of the wood he works with and this piece is no exception. The top of this walnut console table has a natural crack that Pete artistically highlights with a butterfly joint of zebra wood. The base is comprised of twelve 1/8" layers of walnut that are meticulously bent and laminated together to give life and movement to the piece.

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The finish on the entire table is beautiful. He initially applied a light stain and then expertly placed seven coats of gel urethane, carefully sanding between each application and this results in a breathtaking luster. I hope you will come to see this piece for yourself at the gallery. Last year, Pete's submission won 'Best in Show' and we are looking forward to seeing what this year's event holds, for his piece titled “Firmly Planted.“