David Field, Heathcote, NSW

After the Drought
Tasmanian oak, redgum, bloodwood, purple gidgee, silky oak
350 x 270 x 180mm

Materials
Each Australian timber was selected for its hardness, colour and texture. These are prominent colours and textures of the Australian landscape when the rain comes after the drought.
Base: Tasmanian oak,
Lid: redgum, bloodwood,
Water drops: Purple gidgee, brass
Tray: Tasmanian oak, silky oak, redgum
Lining: suede
The bloodwood (lid panel) was recovered from a fallen tree, slabbed with a chain saw, stacked and seasoned for three years and then cut and thicknessed. The various other timbers were sourced from Trend Timbers and Carba-tec.
Joinery
Lid:The lid is frame and panel construction using stub tenon and groove joinery. I cut and laminated the bloodwood panel to relieve stress and add strength. The blood wood is difficult to work due to the very prominent kino veins. It is a hard timber with a very strong tendency to break without warning along the sap lines when worked.
Box Base: The base of the box is constructed using traditional dovetail joinery.
I turned the 'water' drops from purple gidgee, selected for its interesting colour highlights and very hard, fine grain. These characteristics result in a very smooth, shiny finish with a rainbow effect. The hard gidgee sounds like ceramic when tapped. Each drop is attached with a brass pin and cyanoacrylate glue.
Glues:
I use Titebond Original fast setting, high-quality aliphatic resin emulsion adhesive for the timber joints of my boxes. It dries very rapidly to give a short clamp time and has high solvent-resistance.
I use Hot Stuff cyanoacrylate glue to join brass to wood where there is a good tight fit.
Finishes:
I finished the work with french polish (Feast Watson) and wax (Gilly Stephenson’s Cabinet Makers Wax and then Carnauba Wax). I often prefer the slightly softer finish of the cabinet wax on my boxes. But in this case, the higher gloss of the carnauba adds to the wet look I wanted. Each layer of french polish and wax were lightly rubbed back with 0000 steel wool. The final coat of carnauba was only buffed to gain a high gloss.
Concept:
'Through artistic activity a man can communicate with his Dreamtime.' (Ian Waldron)
After long dry spells, when areas of Australia become hard, dry and cracked, the colours recede to reds, browns and greys; until the rain comes. Australia’s native timbers reflect its harsh climate: many are hard, dry, red, brown and grey. I selected native timbers to represent this aspect of the Australian landscape in the time when the rain first comes after the drought.
In the outback and in the bush of the national parks around Australia, I have watched the changes the rain brings after a long dry spell. The dry ground and timbers (represented by red gum, Tasmanian oak) slowly accept the falling rain (represented by purple gidgee) and eventually it pools and the rain splashes in puddles and creeks. Everything takes on a shine and the cracked ground (represented by bloodwood) softens and starts to move with the water.

Photos: David Field