Tom Allen

Sculptural Marquetry

Tom Allen describes his work as painting, but his palate is composed of walnut, maple, cherry, yew, holly, bloodwood, bubinga, pink ivory and many other woods. He calls his medium Sculptural Marquetry, using a variety of natural colored woods to sculpt bas-reliefs that depict Northwest life. Works of art done in a similar style from Egypt and China that are 3000 to 5000 years old have influenced him.

photos by Eric Griswald                            

Tom’s approach however, is his own, as he creates colorful, sculptural images of the Northwest. His ability to “read” the grain pattern in wood and to incorporate each wood’s texture and color into the overall design greatly enhances the imagery of each sculpture. Tom cuts and shapes each individual piece within a work to enhance the viewer’s sense of depth and space. His recent work also features inlays of turquoise, lapis, abalone, and silver.