National Marquetry Exhibit - September 2005
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Don Penthony: "Betrayal of Christ" info on Don Penthony

John Monaghan: "Tribute to the Lost" info on John Monaghan

Don Penthony: "Mona Lisa" info on Don Penthony

 

JOHN MONAGHAN
17Bredin Street,
Drogheda,
County Louth
Republic of Ireland.
email: artisticmarquetry@yahoo.ie

I'm a self thought knife and window method marquetarian. I started my first picture in 1986 and
progressed using mostly my own pictures, not patterns. I find marquetry the best form of meditation, sometimes taking months to complete a picture.

I've had a number of pictures exhibited on TV, and in exhibits.  Until recently I was involved in teaching marquetry in three different classes for seven years (all knife and window method). Because of work commitments I had to stop teaching.  I hadn't done a picture for about six years.  This is where my friend and fellow marquetarian, Don Penthony, came in.  Don constantly tried to persuade me back into marquetry.  I finally succumbed to his pressure, and this resulted in my picture of 9-11 (Tribute to the Lost).  Since then I promised myself never to leave it as long until my next picture, infact I've already started my next venture.  I'm already beginning to think with the website and veneers available, that no picture is too tough.

 

 

DON PENTHONY
9 Thomas Street,
Drogheda
County Louth,
Republic of Ireland.
email: artisticmarquetry@yahoo.ie

I've been practicing the art of marquetry since 1985, which I learnt the basics off my elder cousin Sean Murphy (Sean is an artist in every sense of the word).  Fifteen years ago, myself and John Monaghan, exhibited on the No 1 Irish TV show  "The Late Late Show", and after that on "Live at Three".  After that we exhibited in the Allied Irish Banks and an exhibition centre, Arnotts.

Things were going very well for us until disaster struck.  I went out for a meal with my wife Cathrina. To my horror, on my return home I saw the fire engines outside my home, and then I saw my son James outside with the babysitter.  It was only after I understood nobody was hurt, that I realized that all my pictures were inside.  Years of work all lost, except for one, "The Lord of The Rings".  The varnished finish was damaged but mandible. From that date, and setback, myself and John drifted apart.  John was teaching marquetry, I had to get my life back on track, then back to marquetry.   I haven't exhibited for 15 years, until recently exhibiting in the American Marquetry Societies National Exhibit.