Wood
Michael Thiele
New to Spring 2025!
Flagstaff, AZ
Booth 131
Featured Artist
As a maker of art grade wooden musical instruments I stand, after some fifty years of experience, as something of a unicorn. I did not come to my art as a woodworker. In fact, when I built my first instrument ever it was the first woodworking I’d ever done. Furthermore, while I build some of the finest instruments in the world - having done work for such well known musicians as Paul Simon, Ben Harper Nd Kenny G - I know virtually nothing of music theory or musicianship. I am blessed with an acutely fine ear, a natural sense of composition and a deep understanding of the musical properties of dozens of species of wood. Drawing beautiful sound from a board has been my passion since I first tapped on one.
There have been eleven major changes in the instrument over the years, each of which has measurably improved its acoustic beauty. As I have grown as an artist so has the aesthetic quality of the work. My interaction with other artists and their work has contributed to the process. I never search for answers - only better questions.
I have in recent times developed a fascination with rare and endangered woods found in vintage and antique furniture - in particular Brazilian Rosewood, which was used extensively in the production of mid century Scandinavian furniture. In 1992 this beautiful and aromatic material became the first wood ever to be named on the CITES1 list as banned from international trade in the form of lumber or manufactured products. Of course, products made from the wood prior to that year are “grandfathered” and may be purchased and transported internationally.
The rarity and non-availability of Brazilian Rosewood and my love for the material itself have driven my desire and hunt for salvageable furniture and instruments to be re-purposed for use in constructing my own contemporary instruments and acoustic furniture. I have collected items built as far back as the 19th Century and incorporated elements of same in recent work, some of which will be presented at the upcoming La Quinta Spring Celebration.