Kitchener Hughes

There’s an air of quiet patience surrounding intarsia artist Kitchener Hughes. On a sunny Sunday afternoon, Kitchener, his wife Cheryl, and their fearsome but tiny dog Poppy gave us a behind-the-scenes peek into his creative process. In the well-appointed corners of a garage woodshop, amidst the scent of stocked timber and the hum of machinery, Kitchener works industriously to finish a piece. The owl needs a few coats of varnish to really make the wood pop. On a bench sit three pieces that he’s submitting to the Hinton Library’s 40th anniversary event; a sprawling eagle, a purpose-made “bookworm”, and an intricate frog perched on a branch. These are the kinds of pieces where, the longer you look, the more details you notice.

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A journeyman welder and fabricator by trade, Kitchener spent the better part of his life wielding tools and materials to transform metal. Yet, it's in the realm of woodworking where his current passion lies. There is a caveat here worth mentioning. He is an avid intarsia maker mostly in the winter, because in the summer he’s focused on his other passion -  fishing! 

 

Kitchener's journey into woodworking began in grade 7 woodshop class. That spark of interest, while not the focus during his 37-year-long career in welding and fabrication, was maintained to some degree as a hobbyist furniture builder. Then, almost three years ago it was through the encouragement of his brother-in-law, Don Snyder, an experienced intarsia artist, that Kitchener found his way into the art form. Inspired by Don, Kitchener started on a path that would redefine his relationship with fabrication.

 

A Natural Affinity for Wood

Kitchener's artistic philosophy centers around the natural beauty of wood. Like many avid woodworkers, he’s often on the hunt for unique pieces of timber, searching for diverse colors and types that speak to him. From beachfront drift wood to leftovers from friends, he has an eye for finding the right pieces. His work is a celebration of wood in its most authentic form, avoiding stains and alterations that detract from its natural beauty. This commitment to preserving the innate beauty of his medium allows each piece to tell its own story, imbued with the history and character of the wood itself. He has a respect for the wood, using the different wood types thoughtfully and where they will shine to their natural best. His stock on hand is a who’s who of the lumber yard: old growth red cedar, tulip wood (a type of poplar), purple heart, yellow heart, birdseye maple, alder, red paduk, bloodwood, zebra wood, walnut, ebony, pine, and a few of unknown names whose colours were alluring enough to make the cut.

 

The craft of intarsia is akin to sculpting, where the artist delicately removes outer layers of wood, unveiling the rich tapestry of grain beneath, to mold a shape that is both visually pleasing and harmoniously textured. His pieces are notably three-dimensional, which is one element that makes his art stand out. “This is what I call bringing a piece to life,” he says. It's in these moments of creation where it seems that Kitchener feels most connected to his craft. He has a particular skill for identifying the nuances in wood grain, skillfully making it echo the subjects he's creating, whether it be the textured fur of a pug or the sleek feathers of an eagle or owl. 

Kitchener indulged in a tender exception to one of his cardinal rules about intarsia for the sake of crafting a piece inspired by his wife: a depiction of a little girl slipping into a pair of rubber boots, using a wood stain to carefully ensure the girl's eyes match Cheryl’s stunning blue ones. This particular piece was purchased by FCSS as a prize for Senior’s Week, and Cheryl was quick to point out that she would have to bid on it. 

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The Flow of Creation

For Kitchener, woodworking is not just a hobby; it's a conduit to a state of creative flow, where time loses its grip, and the world outside his workshop blurs into the background. Just ask Cheryl, who's loving support sometimes shows up in the shape of reminding him that it’s lunch time, or dinner time, or both! The process is fun, and Kitchener hopes to keep it that way. He doesn’t want production to take on the life of a job. He finds more joy in working on projects when the inspiration is there.

The meticulous skills of precision and fabrication honed through years of welding have taken a different shape and have seamlessly transitioned into Kitchener’s intarsia art, showing a remarkable synergy between the two crafts. His fabrication background equips him with an innate understanding of how different materials can be joined to achieve a desired look, a principle that is mirrored in how he carefully selects and assembles pieces of wood. 

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While many of his pieces start from a pattern, most of them are finished with his own touches. Changes, additions, improvisations. He has a sense for when something feels right, and when it’s finished. He can spend hours looking at a piece, selecting the right grain, drawing it out, and he knows when it’s just right. Although he seems partial to nature subjects, he did mention a stashed away pattern of the Outlaw of Country Music and legend Willy Nelson, and has an interest in creating just about anything. “If you’re interested in trying it, give it a go,” he says. “Use a bit of imagination.”

 

Patience, Challenges, and the Art of Bringing Wood to Life

Taking up intarsia was not without its trials. Initially met with frustration, this intricate art form taught him the virtue of patience—a quality he says now defines his approach to each new project. The process of shaping and fitting together different pieces of wood is where he finds joy, watching as a disjointed collection of parts gradually transforms into a cohesive and lively work of art. He says, it might not look it but it’s tough to get all the pieces to match and fit together. That’s where patience really comes into play.

“I love doing it. You first cut all the pieces and get them to fit nice and tight, and then you’ve got to shape it.” When describing the owl he’s in the process of finishing, made out of red cedar, yellow heart, walnut, and white maple woods, he says “If you would have seen this before I started shaping it, it just looks like a block of wood. What I try to do is make it look as lifelike as possible.” You can see the time and detail that went into the piece, particularly around the feather details and the eyes. It’s easy to imagine the owl’s eyes peeking out at you from the forest.

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The Evolution of an Artist

Despite his reluctance to label himself as an artist, Kitchener's work speaks volumes of his precision. From his first project to the elaborate pieces he now creates, his journey is marked by key milestones and achievements, including the sale of his works and the positive feedback from friends and family. 

Looking ahead, Kitchener has aspirations to take on commissioned pieces. He mentions wanting to create a near life-size piece depicting horses, but with the time and cost involved he would only do that if he knew he could sell it. His hope is that his work resonates with people, not just as decorative items, but as manifestations of the time, effort, and passion invested in each piece.

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Supporting the Craft

For those moved by Kitchener's work, the best support is simple: consider acquiring a piece of his work. Not only does this provide direct support, but it also helps in spreading the word about his talent, potentially opening doors for commissioned projects and collaborations. 

Kitchener Hughes stands as a testament to the enduring beauty and significance of handcrafted art, made by a skilled hand. His journey from a grade 7 woodshop enthusiast to a proficient intarsia maker reminds us of the beauty of sinking deeply into creative flow, and finding joy in the process. 

In Kitchener’s art, as in many things, there’s so much more to it than meets the eye. Knowing the skill and craftsmanship that goes into his pieces is like learning about the secret life and story of each one. And once you know it, you can't help but see that love really is in the details.