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From underwater basketweaving to subversive knitting, crafts and craftsmanship have experienced a huge resurgence of late. Bringing a contemporary twist, a new view and an injection of modern technology, designers and makers have succeeded in making the handmade relevant once again. But marquetry? While the fine art and craft of applying pieces of veneer to a structure to create decorative patterns has certainly piqued some interest in recent years, marquetry’s primary associations are still very firmly with antiques, or David Linley. (The royal nephew’s inlaid boxes and writing desks have become a sort of signature.)

The first time I first saw marquetry in action at an exhibition I was disappointed. This, I thought, was not craftsmanship, it was painting by numbers – essentially colouring in a picture using wood veneer pre-cut by a computer. It seemed relatively unskilled, largely uncreative, and greatly unsatisfying. I therefore wasn’t expecting to be blown away by my recent visit to Aryma Marquetry, owned by husband-and-wife team Howard and Lisa Sansome. Even when I heard of their mission – since buying the company 10 years ago the Sansomes have been breathing new life into their small Welsh craft workshop and hoping to reinvigorate what has lately been a tired and flailing industry – I thought I knew what to expect.

On the basis of some highly trusted word of mouth, I made the trip, however, and I’m glad I did. Because here, tucked away in the beautiful Welsh valleys, it is possible to see some of the most intricate and innovative marquetry, the results of thousands of hours of work – yacht interiors, wall panels, atriums, grand pianos: anything goes and you get the feeling that anything is possible, should you ask. Its clients – including Stella McCartney, Alfred Dunhill and Jet Aviation – are often well known for their insistence on the best, while collaborator Rolls-Royce describes Aryma’s work as ‘matchless, for artistry, world-class craftsmanship and quality’.

There is no substitute for seeing the marquetry firsthand, says Howard Sansome, who is used to people being shocked when they see Aryma’s work up close. ‘The surprise comes when the client sees something fresh, warm and vibrant – and work within which the quality of craftsmanship is intrinsic and obvious.’ Aryma goes to incredible lengths to elevate the quality of its work. ‘It is common for there to be many thousands of unique individual, tiny pieces of veneer in a single work, and we ensure every one fits perfectly in its place with minimal gaps between adjacent pieces.’ This means checking and re-checking during the making process, and before marquetry is finally dispatched it will be reviewed on a giant LCD light table. ‘If light can make it through the marquetry, then glue can seep

T H E A N C I E N T C R A F T O F

M A R Q U E T R Y I S M A K I N G A

C O M E B A C K . B U T W E ’ R E N O T

T A L K I N G T R A D I T I O N A L

B O X E S A N D W R I T I N G D E S K S

– A R Y M A M A R Q U E T R Y M A K E S

E X Q U I S I T E W O R K S O F A R T

F O R I N T E R I O R S ,

S U P E R Y A C H T S , P R I V A T E J E T S

A N D L U X U R Y C A R S …

Words Henrietta Thompson

Photographs Trent McMinn

A F I N E V E N E E RD E S I G N

Above: Sea of Tranquility is a new design by Aryma inspired by the movement of waves, the light and shadow of the moon’s surface and its effect on the sea. It was developed from photographs taken by marquetry artist Hannah Gage. Below: coloured veneers from Italy are bleached before being dyed for consistency

through during the final pressing stage, and the last thing we want to see on the finished marquetry is lots of bold glue lines.’

It all began in 2004, when Sansome, then a business manager of an FTSE100 company, was looking around for something new to do. ‘Despite professional success, I was not fulfilled personally and knew I was not really cut out to be a “company man”, he says. ‘I kept my eyes open for something that would involve me in creative processes with creative people, but also allow me to make a living to support my family.’

He first heard of Anita Marquetry, the former name of the company, when it cropped up in conversation with a cabinet maker who was doing some work on Sansome’s house. ‘He noticed some marquetry I had made years earlier, in my twenties. I’ve been a keen amateur wood-worker, and had seriously considered taking it up formally, but my business career had taken me down a path that was well-rewarded enough to make it difficult to change course.’

Sansome was curious enough about this small local company to start making some enquiries. He discovered that it owned some basic marquetry equipment, a wealth of experience and talent among its four marquetry artists, and deep-rooted financial problems. But that wasn’t all. Sansome unearthed what he immediately saw to be a huge opportunity.

‘Most importantly, I could see a gap between the nature of the marquetry being made, and the nature of what could be made with a little inspiration and a lot of time and effort,’ he says. ‘When that point clicked in my mind, I was totally engaged. I felt that, with a little luck, this company could become something exceptional and outstanding.’

Sansome subsequently took a controlling share of Anita Marquetry in 2005. Renamed and refreshed, almost a decade later, Aryma is a healthy company, has repaid all debts and has some exciting projects in the works. As well as some shrewd financial decisions and investment in new artists and equipment, fundamental to th is turnaround has been br ing ing contemporary vision to this ancient art form.

Aryma now has its own in-house design studio, to which it only recruits graduates with design or fine art experience. This is because each individual marquetry artist designs and makes their work. ‘The designer’s hand and eye is present in every piece,’ says Sansome. Historically, marquetry workers were cabinetmakers first and foremost, not artists in their own right. This put them on the back foot as they always worked using design from other branches of the arts.

Sansome recognised early on that one of the key factors to the success of this business was the need to develop the design capability of the company. ‘This would allow us to create marquetry that would not only engage clients and designers, but also challenge preconceptions about marquetry. It would also reduce our dependence on making predominantly traditional inlay work for cabinetmakers.’

While it is true that marquetry remains synonymous with traditional fine furniture, Aryma has invested a great deal of time, effort and investment in works they hope will showcase what else marquetry can be. Twist of Nature is one such example. Commissioned specifically for a development in Kensington by luxury design practice Taylor Howes, it’s an ambitious, large-scale abstract triptych covering eight square metres, incorporating a huge quantity of opulent materials, and took five marquetry artists over 1,000 hours to produce.

After some unfortunate experiences working with big name designers, Aryma has decided to focus on building the quality of their own design work. ‘There is something special that can be achieved when designs are developed in-house. Unlike external designers, our marquetry artists completely understand the medium and the making process. They are aware of its

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restrictions and are able to apply this knowledge, in a way an external designer cannot.’

Sansome mentions one exception to this – citing a new collaboration with Christopher Jenner, who he says does understand the process. The project is a series of f loral marquetry panels soon to be installed in the new flagship for French brand Kusmi Tea in the new World Trade Centre in New York. ‘The choice of marquetry is the most perfect way for us to illustrate both the narrative behind the brand while communicating a commitment to luxury,’ says Jenner – who says he, too, was amazed at what he saw when he visited Aryma. ‘Using marquetry in the way we have brings a fresh new relevance to the craft, and positions this traditional technique right in the moment.’

Next year Aryma will be celebrating its 25th anniversary and 10 years since the Sansomes came onboard. So what’s in store for the future? ‘Lalique and Fabergé encapsulate the values I aspire to,’ says Howard. ‘Their work has an aesthetic that is innovative and long-lasting, with impeccable attention to detail and the highest level of craftsmanship. If our work could ever be held in the same esteem then I would consider my dream satisfied.’ aryma.co.uk

–USING MARQUETRY IN THE WAY WE HAVE POSITIONS THIS TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUE RIGHT IN THE MOMENT’ –

Right: detail of Aryma’s collaboration with Christopher Jenner Studio on a conceptual almond-blossom design for a flagship retail outlet in the World Trade Centre, New York, using vividly coloured veneers and mother-of-pearl. Left and below right: senior marquetry artist Szilvia Dorogi hand-assembles a magnolia marquetry panel for a superyacht in Germany. Below: Twist of Nature, one of three panels for a residential development in Kensington, is made from 20 different veneers and eight types of mother-of-pearl