Sometimes woodworkers are lucky enough to come across a piece of lumber that is a once in a lifetime find. This piece represents just that sort of board - purchased at an auction, and still unidentified. It was only about four feet long, and roughly 10" wide, but the ribbon grain and the coloring was so spectacular, I held onto it until I envisioned a perfect design.

In this case, I had also been coveting a lovely ceramic tile I had made a few years ago. This tile was special on many levels - the glaze, with a lovely crystalline pattern, the texture, and the technical perfection - it was flat, perfectly circular, and without flaw. Combining the board and the tile, I knew, would result in an amazing result.

The Center For Wood Anatomy Research offers a wood identification service, but unfortunately, the small piece of scrap leftover from this project was lost in a woodshop cleanup session. Identifying it would only be a guess at this point. The small feet on the underside, however, are also a special specie of wood - from a breadfruit tree, probably grown in the South Pacific. One can only speculate how these boards made their way to the middle of the desert.

This sushi platter represents the essence of the work I design and build - combining clay and wood to create everyday pieces for your home and mine. It was finished with more that a dozen coats of a non-toxic oil finish, handrubbed to perfection. It now resides in a private collection here in Las Vegas.