Lee Hanrahan, Holland Park, QLD

Artist’s Pencil Box
Cedar, maple, ebony
260 x 100 x 65mm

Materials
For the pencil box I selected three types of timber – cedar (main body of case), maple (for the insert) and ebony (for the inlays and feet). The aim was to create contrast between the different sections of the box. In particular, the use of ebony inlay was intended to create a feature of the hand cut dove tails. This darker highlight is also picked up in the box’s feet. The timber was largely recycled timber donated by a French polisher/furniture collector friend who has an abundant collection of old furniture and timber. The cedar was salvaged from an old table top (which no longer had a base), and the maple from an old broken wardrobe. The ebony was similarly a salvaged scrap from a friend working in a timber yard.

Method of Construction
One of my main intentions in entering this competition was to further practice and improve my hand skills, thus the use of fine hand-cut dovetails to secure the sides of the box. The lid has a rebated floating panel.

Glues
PVA and araldite were both used in the construction.

Finish
‘Tung Oil Enriched’ timber finish.

Concept
As mentioned, the main idea behind creating this box was as an exercise in practicing my hand skills. It’s construction was completed in short spurts over several nights largely due to the recent birth of my son and commencement of a new job. As such, the shortage of time and limited materials effectively meant that the concept for this box evolved as I went along. Once I determined the size of the box, the idea of an artist’s pencil box occurred to me as a suitable and novel use for it.

Photos: Kate Hanrahan