Stone Marquetry Inlay Techniques with Paul Schurch September 20-24, 2021

This class is about discovering the possibilities and practice of shaping solid stone like onyx, marble and other common and semiprecious stones for inlay into furniture, or to be displayed as a decorative stone marquetry art piece. There are many methods that have been used in the past, and yet this craft is not frequently seen in furniture outside of some of the most highly sought after and prestigious furniture pieces in museums around the world. Paul trained near Florence, Italy, and achieved a high degree of skill and patience in order to create the beautiful and long-lasting results that are found in stone marquetry, or “Pietra dure.” The advantage with today’s modern adhesives and stone working tools is that the process can be distilled down to some basic techniques that have evolved into a unique approach for working stone quickly and efficiently, which is on par with masterworks found in Italy. Students will get hands-on experience on how to do decorative stone inlay, and an overview on how to inlay stone into wood. Be prepared to open up a whole new world of decoration using rocks, marble and semi-precious stones!