Welcome to Visions In Wood.

My name is Michael Ferreira. I create art using wood as my canvas. I have been designing furniture and creating art for 22 years.

Bio:

After working for Xerox Corporation, and later in music playing drums, I went back to school to finish college and became a computer guy. Later, I became interested in woodworking and enrolled at Palomar College in San Marcos, California. Born and raised in San Diego, I was living in La Jolla at the time. I attended Palomar for 2 years taking about every woodworking course that was being offered, including weekend classes focusing on special techniques. During that period, I entered two furniture pieces in a wood design competition. The first year I won first and second in several categories. In my second school year, I entered one of my projects in the Southern California Exhibition at Del Mar, California and was awarded ‘Best of Show'. I knew then I had a talent for design.

The genesis of my work:

After completing my studies at Palomar, I began taking on commissions focusing on 18th century American reproduction furniture, jewelry boxes and cigar humidors. From there, I got into wood turning on a lathe. This grew from making small, simple wooden hollow forms to larger vases.

Design:

To me, design is everything. Creating a three dimensional object like a vase takes some thinking, research, and just plain time. I'm drawn to vessels that have a subtle, curvilinear shape, but it also has to have a sensuousness to it.

Color:

I was beginning to take a different direction in the process of altering the color of wood. The usual methods did not produce the results I wanted. Wood stain or wood dyes were not the answers for me. I stumbled across the idea of custom acrylic color. I began the process of learning how to apply a new and very different coloring technique to wood.

From there, I added gilding to the color process, mostly silver and copper. The more color I used, the more I wanted. An explosion of color was taking place. Air bushing was the next phase in my development. It takes a little practice, about 3 years to be semi-proficient.

Form, function and finish is what I have developed over the years to a point that, when many people first see my work, they mistakenly think my vases are made of glass or glazed clay. Except, the color combinations could not have possibly been created in them. I have developed a flair for this style of work.

As an aside, I was mistakenly invited to one of the 'Best of the North West' art exhibits for pottery by an individual who had seen my work. I pointed out that my medium was not clay, but wood. We both had a good laugh.

Gallery Collections:

The Third Dimension Gallery
Hawaii

Xanadu Art Gallery
Scottsdale, Arizona

Maison des Artistes North West Art Gallery
Lake Oswego, Oregon

Other stuff:

I am a member of the Portland Saturday Market in Portland Oregon, just across the Columbia River from Ridgefield, Washington where I now live. The PSM has become quite famous, a 'must see' for travelers to visit.

I have been privileged to meet people from around the world. Many travel to the Northwest to vacation, retire, move, visit family members and friends, be in weddings, attend business conventions, and visit the Portland Saturday Market.

My work resides in many US cities and countries including Canada, Australia, Hawaii and Alaska (I know, Alaska and Hawaii are not separate countries), Austria, Scotland, England, the Netherlands, China and Japan.


Mike Ferreira
Ridgefield, WA
360-887-0475
www.visionsinwood.com