Artistry in Wood: The Canoes of Preszler
Roberts. "I love it when I get to take a consultative approach and be a part of his creative process."
The first canoe Preszler built features a hull of aromatic Eastern Red Cedar, which gives it a vivid red profile punctuated with knots and white streaks. The vessel's accent strips are Black Walnut, while the breasthook and deck are Mexican Ziricote. The oars are Ash, with the tips faced in bronze.
Another canoe, still under construction, has an understructure of Western Red Cedar encased in a thin veneer of sliced cross-sections of Siberian Larch logs. When complete, it will look as though it is carved from logs and evoke the spirit of Native American dug-out canoes.
Yet another work in progress is being crafted from successively darker shades of wood leading from the sheerline to the keel and giving the effect that the vessel is gradually rising from the water. Preszler is using six different types of timber to create this transitional effect, including Basswood (Linden), Alaskan Yellow Cedar, Western Red Cedar, Peruvian Walnut, Black Walnut, and Mexican Ziricote.
One of Preszler's most artistically ambitious efforts is a canoe that, when completed, will appear to have been made from bricks. It's being constructed of Western Red Cedar and Walnut, with strips of white Basswood as the "mortar" separating the dark wooden bricks.
Finally, Preszler's stunning "feather" canoe features an intricate tapestry of Zebrawood strips in a basket-weave pattern resembling
CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
Frequently asked questions
What wood species were used in Preszler's first canoe?+
The first canoe features a hull of aromatic Eastern Red Cedar with knots and white streaks, accent strips of Black Walnut, and a breasthook and deck made of Mexican Ziricote. The oars are Ash with bronze-faced tips.
How is Preszler's Siberian Larch canoe constructed?+
It has an understructure of Western Red Cedar encased in a thin veneer of sliced cross-sections of Siberian Larch logs. When complete, it will look as though carved from logs, evoking Native American dug-out canoes.
Which woods did Preszler use to create the gradient 'rising from water' canoe?+
Preszler used six timbers arranged in successively darker shades from sheerline to keel: Basswood (Linden), Alaskan Yellow Cedar, Western Red Cedar, Peruvian Walnut, Black Walnut, and Mexican Ziricote.
How is Preszler's brick-patterned canoe made?+
It is being constructed from Western Red Cedar and Walnut to form the dark 'bricks,' with strips of white Basswood serving as the 'mortar' between them.
What is the design of Preszler's feather canoe?+
The feather canoe features an intricate tapestry of Zebrawood strips arranged in a basket-weave pattern.