Back in February of this year I wrote here about a friend telling me of a group of folks at the Corning Senior Center who meet weekly to practice the art of marquetry, the inlaying of wood to create pictures. He told me that there were some there who regularly copied my work with their work. I have not had a chance to visit the Center yet but mentioned the marquetry group a couple of weeks ago at my Gallery Talk at the West End Gallery, explaining how flattered I was by this.
Afterwards, a friend in attendance, Kathleen Richardson, said she was in and out of the Center on a regular basis and would check it out. A few days later Kathleen, who writes a blog called Corning NY Step by Step which documents her discoveries as she walks about the city, posted an article documenting the work of one of the folks who practiced the marquetry of which I had spoke, a woman by the name of Nellie Telehany.
Nellie Telehany at Work
There were several photos showing Nellie at work and a piece in process, including showing how she would transfer the composition from an image printed in the newspaper by tracing it on an overlaid clear sheet of acetate. It was great to see how well she captured the essence of the paintings with her work and I have to admit to being very flattered, thinking how neat it is that this piece of marquetry will be around somewhere for many years to come. If my paintings are my children, then these must be grandchildren. Cheri, my wife, was even more effusive in her praise of the work– more so than she is for my own work!
Thanks, Kathleen, for looking up Nellie at the Senior Center and showing her work on your blog. And a big thank you to Nellie for making such lovely work from my images. I love your work and hope you’ll continue. I look forward to meeting you someday soon and seeing your work.
Redtree Times 