Bio
The idea of making cutting boards that are a little different than ones you usually see for purchase came from magazines and books on the subject and from a basic love of wood. Additionally, after years of making solid cherry, Shaker influenced furniture I had accumulated a lot of various small pieces of hardwood. Most of the pieces that I set aside had a lot of character due to color and grain variations in the wood. They were too small to put into furniture, but perfect for the cutting and serving boards that are made by Ellis Woodworking.
Making these boards has been a refreshing change from making furniture. It has brought out other artistic talents that were dormant in me, such as arranging the pieces of wood in such a way as to highlight their individual beauty within the overall artistic form of the boards. The comment most customers make is, "they are too pretty to use." I usually remind them that there are two sides, one for show and the other to cut or serve on.