Intarsia Birds

Intarsia is a craft/art that uses multiple small pieces of wood to form a picture. The wood is not stained, but shows its true original color. Many wood species are used to make a single piece of art.

For a number of years, we have had works of intarsia for auction at the Northern Michigan Relief Sale. These handsome pieces are a wonder to behold. They are intricate, meticulously done, and attractive. 

There is an intarsia piece this year with two special pieces of wood. Wood from two different centuries being sold in a third century. Let me explain. The small yellow bird (perhaps a goldfinch) sits on a limb made from the stump of a pine tree that the lumberjacks cut down in the late 1800’s. The branch the cardinal is on is poplar. This particular tree was planted around 1908 and cut down in 1980. This was the last of the trees that lined the street from the corner to the block with the Mennonite Church in Fairview. Oren Detweiler, the intarsia maker’s father, posed for a picture with the fallen tree. Now in 2025 these two trees from two centuries are together in one artwork that is up for auction on August 2, 2025.

You can own a slice of history if you are the highest bidder for these birds. At the same time, you will be helping people in need around the world. All proceeds go to  MCC ( Mennonite Central Committee) to be used in alleviating suffering amongst the needy.