Intarsia Birds
Intarsia is the art of woodworking in which multiple pieces of wood are fit together like a puzzle. Different species of wood are used to obtain the varying colors of the picture. No stains are used. All of the wood species appear in their natural state. The mosaic look can give texture and depth to the piece.We have had numerous pieces of Intarsia at the Northern Michigan Relief Sale. Reuel Detweiler is the gifted and artistic craftsman who produces them for us and other charity sales. This year we have three intarsia birds : an owl, an eagle and a hawk.
Some of the woods used are names you recognize.There are also exotic woods from around the world.
- Leopardwood is from Central and South America. Reddish brown in color it has darker bands and streaks resembling the coat of a leopard.
- Wenge comes from western Africa. It is a strong and durable dark wood.
- Padank is another African hardwood. Orange red to reddish brown in color, it is a durable heartwood.
- Bocote grows in Central and South America. It has a bold grain and ranges from yellow to golden brown in color. Dramatic stripes are a feature of this heartwood.
- Yellowheart is a Brazilian hardwood also called satinwood. Of course it it yellow in color.
- Bloodwood is from Brazil, Peru, and Venezuela. This deep red heartwood is found under thick layers of bark.
The Owl contains walnut, maple, padank, sycamore, yellowheart, leopardwood, and Indian redwood.
The Eagle has wenge, padank, cedar, poplar, walnut, yellowheart, mahogany, sycamore, and mesquite.
The Hawk is made from oak, wenge, bocote, lacewood (any wood with a lacy pattern), butternut, bloodwood, sycamore, and yellowheart.
Come to the Northern Michigan Relief Sale Auction on August 1, 2026 to bid on and own one of these impressive pieces of art. All the proceeds from the sale go to helping people in need around the world through MCC.
