What a fun project this was!
My client had a collection of Willits Jazz Statues and wanted an appropriate display stand for them. When I first saw them I was blown away by how much character the statues had. My second reaction was how heavy they are. They are made from cast concrete!
This is the display stand I came up with. I thought the stylized piano keys inlaid in the border of each shelf complimented the character of the statues nicely.
The main wood used is Makore veneer, also known as African cherry. I’ll definitely be using this again. The grain is gorgeous. The piano keys are made from dyed black poplar, white sycamore, and charcoal poplar.
I’ve been asked numerous times if the border of piano keys is painted on the shelves. The answer is no. They are wood veneers inlaid into the veneer of the shelf, a process called marquetry.
As with many of my projects, I started this one without knowing what to do and figured it out along the way. It’s similar to building a bridge you’re stepping onto.
