Shaker side table, 2016
Alder
This Shaker design is timeless. The beveled top and tapered legs lend a feeling of lightness, and the hand-turned knob makes each one unique.
Beth Grayer
Furniture Maker
Garlic Marquetry, 2017
Assorted veneers
My love for garlic goes way back, but I made this the day I fell in love with marquetry. The wonderful Karen Trickett did a marquetry workshop at Camosun and I was hooked.
Lily of the Valley Silverware Box, 2016
White oak case, walnut hinges and handle, and assorted veneers
This was a learning project designed by Cam Russell, my awesome former instructor in the Fine Furniture program at Camosun College. The lily of the valley pattern on my partner’s ancestral silverware was inspiration for my veneer and handle design.
Live edge étagère, 2019
Walnut
This piece is a study in contrasts. It bridges the divide between West Coast live edge and modern design, with its irregular curves and sleek lines. The design flowed as much from the wood as the initial drawings, leading to a unique piece that perfectly suited both client and maker.
Garry Oak Dining Chair, 2018
Garry Oak
This dining chair would be at home in a Garry oak meadow. It expresses the gentle tension of the Garry oak tree: the curved seat grounds the body, while the back rail offers support and lift. Brass inlay absorbs and reflects changing light and the woven seat mimics the texture of the bark. The chair is made from a local windfallen Garry oak tree milled by the Vancouver Island Woodworkers’ Guild. Beth dried the wood in her backyard for three years.
She would like to acknowledge with respect the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples on whose traditional territory we live and who have cultivated the Garry oak ecosystems we enjoy.
Heron Stool, 2015
Western Maple and Danish Cord
I started with the Great Blue Heron and Danish Modern design. My challenge was to take the heron into the structure of the chair. The height of the kitchen stool gives the piece sleek vertical lines. The bent laminated crest rail contrasts with the angular legs, like the curve of a heron’s neck over its knobby knees. Chamfered rails reflect light as if on water, echoing the rippling figure of the Eastern Maple veneer on the crest rail. The marquetry of a heron in flight challenges Danish Modern’s minimalism without disrupting the chair’s clean lines. The seat is woven out of Danish cord in a traditional pattern.
I designed this chair for my father, who stands with the herons.
Glow Lamp, 2015
Garry Oak and Architectural Vellum
I set out to make the largest lamp possible with a very limited amount of locally milled and dried Garry Oak. I layered two segmented rings, and then rounded them by hand. The spokes are bent laminations joined at the centre on a hand turned hub. The architectural vellum allows a soft light to penetrate, but the LED bulb stays cool. A dimmer makes this the perfect lamp for my kid’s playtime and bedtime!
Unbent: Shaker Shelf, 2015
Cherry and Copper Tacks
This piece was inspired by the Shakers’ demanding aesthetic for simple but elegant lines in everything from shovels to chairs. The curve is drawn from a Shaker oval box with a traditional fingered joint fastened with copper tacks. Hand-turned pegs pay homage to the Shaker rails, while the curved back piece adds a contemporary twist. The Shakers would not have approved of a shelf meant for display, but a secular audience may enjoy it.
Irish Lily Bookend, 2015
Bleached ash
This bookend is an homage to Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret Macdonald. Their work bridged the Arts and Crafts movement, Art Nouveau and Art Deco, but I am particularly drawn to their combinations of floral and geometric shapes. They are known for the Glasgow rose. The Irish Lily is a nod to my roots and the Easter Rising of 1916.