Wooden Kitchen Art



These are my favorite! Imagine how
beautiful this would look on a kitchen counter.

 I knew that I was in for a treat when I arrived to Jerry Rhoades' house to purchase one of his wooden cutting boards last November.  I was on a mission to find the board that my in-laws spied at Del Ray's monthly Saturday art market.  Christmastime loomed, and I was about to buy our first gift.  Walking up to his garage workshop reminded me of shopping excursions each summer in Maine - where works of art are beautifully tucked at the end of hidden driveways and studios are housed in detached garages or aging barns.  You think you know what you will find, but then, again, you can never be too sure.


It is rare to visit the place where your purchase is actually made - to see the precision and creativity that goes into a final masterpiece.  So imagine my elation when I walk into his garage workshop to see not only his beautiful cutting boards in final form, but also boards in each stage of the creation process - the raw wood in the corner, the cut pieces arranged in perfect formation waiting to be fused together and then finished with an oily glaze.  Heaven!

 

This was the style of the first cutting
board that we bought for our parents.

JR Woodworks boards are kitchen art - and the best kind of kitchen art - the usable kind.  Each piece is unique because each cut of wood is unique - some smooth, some marbled, some deep red, others more purple.  His cutting boards are conversation pieces that are resilient enough to stand up to knife slices (he uses the board that he made his wife years ago as an example of how well they withstand daily use), but beautiful enough to be used as serving pieces for a cheese display or, frankly, to be hung on the wall.  The possibilities are endless.      

 

Gifts that you would want to receive are always the best kind to give.  I have been back to Jerry's garage to purchase more boards as gifts.  Most recently for a college friend's wedding shower.  But, I have yet to buy one for our kitchen.  I still can't figure out which one I want...I guess that means I'll have to buy one of each.         



Look at the beautiful natural marble design in the wood!