Artist Bio:
Out Of The Box Gifts - Artist Profile
Wood and turquoise composite crafts handmade by Christine and Ron Sisco
Unique and natural woodcraft.
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"Our philosophy is to create unique and uplifting objects using the natural and earthly qualities of wood and stone, and to transform these elements into elegant and functional art. Using our hands and power tools each piece is handcrafted to create beauty and functional items for the home. We craft turned, hand and machine worked wood salad bowls, bread boards, cheese boards, kitchen utensils and furniture. Turquoise is inlayed in the natural voids found in the wood. Our studio is located at our home in Tumacacori, Arizona". |
Can Fine Art be functional? Master wood artisans Christine and Ron Sisco prove that it can. The Sisco's are husband and wife and artistic collaborators who design and craft sublime hardwood furniture and kitchen ware with fine turquoise inlaid in the natural cracks and veins of the wood. This is the defining signature of their woodcraft. This was an ancient Chinese practice Christine learned in art history class. "In the Ming Dynasty, cracks in porcelain were often filled with gold", she explains. "We decided to try the same thing with turquoise in our artisan wood works."
To affix the turquoise, the Sisco's use a space-age solution; they compound the pulverized turquoise stone with a food-safe epoxy developed by the United States government in the 1960's. This adhesive hardens and protects the stone so that it will stand up to the rigors of everyday use. Christine and Ron only use Sleeping Beauty turquoise for their inlay. They choose this stone for its tranquil blue color and lack of black matrix. "We only want the pure color of turquoise next to our woods for maximum contrast in the finished piece," Christine says.
With this marriage of wood and turquoise, Christine and Ron have developed an uncommon and sophisticated collection of functional art for the home inspired by their southwest style. Since they work with the natural crevices of the wood, each handmade piece is one of a kind.
The Sisco's work is made exclusively from North American hardwoods including mesquite wood, cherry wood and black walnut. "These are all hard, tight-grained woods", explains Christine. "We create products that are used with food, so all of our creations are non-toxic and safe. Links to Christine and Ron Sisco's signature woodcraft:
Mesquite Wood Salad Bowl
Wine Rack Table
Wood Bread Board
Wood Cutting Board
Three Leq Wood Table
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