John Beach, Intarsia Artist

John began teaching himself intarsia woodworking in 2011 as a creative outlet while attending nursing school—and was instantly hooked.

Intarsia is a woodworking technique that involves fitting together individually cut pieces of wood, each chosen for its natural grain and color, to create vivid, three-dimensional images. John handcrafts each piece using a wide range of wood species from around the world. He never uses stains or dyes, relying solely on the natural beauty of the wood to create depth and contrast.

Each finished piece contains dozens—sometimes hundreds—of meticulously cut, shaped, and sanded components. John starts with a pattern and selects each type of wood based on its grain and tone to fit the image he's building. Over the last decade, he has collected more than 100 wood species, giving him an extensive and unique material palette.

Every part of the process is done by hand. John uses a scroll saw (with no automated or CNC tools), then shapes and sands each piece before fitting them together like a high-tolerance jigsaw puzzle. His finished works include intricate murals, animal portraits, landscapes, and more.

In the early days, he worked from patterns created by renowned intarsia artists such as Judy Gale Roberts and Kathy Wise. Today, John creates his own original designs, transforming photographs and ideas into detailed intarsia murals and smaller custom pieces.