Wooden Maps

It's pretty rare for me to go to an art show and see something new. I spend most of my life looking at fine craft. While a show may be full of beautiful pottery, unique jewelry and outstanding glass work, it's rarely something completely new and different. When I see something new & different, I tend to get excited. That's how it was for me this weekend, when I discovered Abby Bay Designs.Abby Bay starts with nautical charts and topographical maps of area's that contain large bodies of water. The silhouette of the land is cut from fine hardwoods. Each depth of the body of water is cut from another layer of the same wood, then stained a beautiful blue that lets the natural grain of the wood show through. The layers are stacked up, topped with glass and framed in a contrasting hardwood, leaving you with something more than an ordinary map...a truly unique piece of art. My favorite was one of the great lakes, done in birds eye maple. The pictures really don't do the pieces justice, but maybe they will help you get the idea.As I was standing in the Abby Bay booth, I couldn't help thinking how much my father would love these pieces. That is something I rarely think when looking at art.