A River Runs Through Them

By John Mikkelson

ALBANY WOODWORKER JOHN MIKKELSON HAS ALWAYS LOOKED FOR WAYS TO MAXIMIZE THE USAGE OF PARTICULARLY BEAUTIFUL BOARDS.

Smaller pieces that might end up being discarded by many woodworkers have found life as keyrings, bookmarks, and other diminutive ideas over the years. As a result, he has a growing collection of small boards that await a good, and perhaps novel, use!

Over the past few years, most anyone who has been paying close attention to the world of woodworking has seen wood and epoxy resin – usually tinted vibrant colors – married together, in designs ranging from cutting boards to conference tables. Intrigued by the design possibilities, but never really one to jump on a bandwagon, John has taken his time to come up with artful ways to use epoxy in his own works. One day, working with a particularly uniquely-grained board in his shop, it occurred to him that it looked like a landscape that a river might flow through. It would have made a fabulous table, except for one detail: the board was only about the width of a drink coaster. And from there the idea took off…

For months, the creative process took over as John looked through his supply of boards with a new eye, digging out those relative few that seemed like a river might be found “flowing” through their distinct grain! Depending on the board, these designs permitted a matching set of four to six coasters that, when (re)assembled in order, make a beautiful, one-of-a-kind river landscape.

Here’s a quick look behind the scenes: For each board, John hand-draws the river making its way from one end to the other, then carefully cuts these lines at the bandsaw before preparing each resulting pair of “riverbanks” for a pour of epoxy resin. Given the difference in wood grain from board to board, and even within a single board, each set of coasters created in this way is truly unique, portraying a make-believe river that you can enjoy on your tabletop! After giving each completed river board the same kind of finish that would go on a piece of fine furniture, John hand-cuts them, then identifies the underside of each coaster with the set number and its position in the set – e.g., “Set #22, 3/6” He signs and dates the final coaster in each set, marking them as the work of an artist.

The next challenge is already in mind: creating coaster sets that portray a segment of an actual river somewhere in our world! But until then, John will be creating these unique sets, and offering them to the public at Gallery Calapooia in historic Downtown Albany, (see article pg. 20) where he has been a member artist since 2020. He is also a returning vendor this year at “Art and Wine in the Garden,” at Garland Nursery in Corvallis, July 29-30. While he is always considering the next woodworking challenge to take on, these useful works of art will remain a staple in his portfolio for quite a while! So, the next time you’re in Albany, perhaps you’ll find a river you can bring home (and other beautiful artwork as well!) with a stop at an art gallery that has once again been awarded “Best of the Valley” by Willamette Living Magazine.

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