The “Gold of Sicily” Project: How to Decorate Turnings with Marquetry

To me, woodworking is about building upon and emphasizing the innate beauty of the wood through its form, color, and grain. I had a 7.5-in. by 7.5-in. by 4-in. block of marri set aside for some time, and its grayish-yellow hue reminded me of the sunburnt hills I’d seen on a trip to Sicily. That sparked an idea: I envisioned a fruit bowl decorated with a marquetry landscape that evoked Sicily’s scenery. Thus, the concept of “Gold of Sicily” was born. In this article, I’ll guide you through the steps I took to bring this idea to life.

The Concept of Turning the Wooden Bowl

In the planning phase, I identified several milestones for success. First, I needed to design the marquetry to faithfully represent the Sicilian landscape. Next, I needed to prepare the bowl so it could accept the marquetry picture. I also had to find a way to press the marquetry onto the bowl without investing…