OLD GROWTH OAK CLOSET DOOR
My parents, Rick and Linda, bought an old Victorian home in the heart of Traverse City. As they raised my siblings and me, they poured countless hours into restoring this house. They stripped all the woodwork, revealing beautiful old-growth oak. When they came to the closet door under the stairs, they discovered that it was a door made of pine; custom-made for its placement in the house. I offered to grain it, matching the old growth millwork throughout the home. This was a very special project where I used some of my great-grandfather’s art materials. Originally from Scotland, he was a decorative painter, sign painter and easel painter. This job allowed me to create something both sentimental and meaningful for the whole family. I was truly a one of a kind experience.
Studying the neighboring oak doors, I noted their grain and patterns. Using a tooth spalter and a swatch of burlap, I traced out the figure of the oak. This outline became a light sketch; a road map, something to follow. Before it dried, I brought in the rubber sculpting tool to define the grain, and then softened it with a badger brush. Wielding a metal comb, I cut through the grain, creating that particular porous/dotted effect found in oak.
A mixture of a traditional oil glaze, turpentine and linseed oil was applied to the door. I added wood effects such as mories, and darkened up areas around the knots. This added an effect of aging, toning the wood to match its surrounding trim. A final coat of varnish sealed the project, bringing us one step closer to the restoration of the Smith family home.