Mosaics have always been one of my favorite forms of visual artistry. Traditional paintings and sculptures are impressive in their own right, of course, but mosaics take a special level of vision and commitment. The complexity of a mosaic definitely varies, but the most complicated ones utilize thousands of pieces of tile, stone or glass to create a sophisticated image. The final effect is a lot like that of a pointillist painting.

Only recently did I discover that there’s a rough woodworking equivalent to the mosaic called intarsia. This style of craftsmanship employs many disparate pieces of wood and fits them together to create a uniform whole. When done correctly, these pieces of art achieve a three-dimensional effect that’s not seen in other forms of woodwork.