Today’s commission was a dog kennel for a local family’s furry, new addition. Supplied with existing barn board, fencing and hinges they had on the family’s farm; I was tasked with making a rustic place for the new addition to rest her head. Working together we looked at different designs online and eventually had an idea of what to make using the materials at hand.

Fortunately, this project was pretty straight forward. I milled the material to proper dimension and framed the main carcass of the kennel. The clients were generous enough to provide finishing material: paint! The combination of the paint matching the interior of the house and the barn board goes with the general rustic farmhouse theme.

Next I used some old fencing to enclose the open areas. There were patches missing from where the wire was snipped and separated from the fence post. I remedied this by adding filler wire and then filing and smoothing any potential rough spots, that way Edna would remain injury free.

Nearly all the material was supplied but we couldn’t seem to find a latch that would fit the project lying around the farm. I carved a bone latch complete with a slot that would seat a screw head; it was both functional and whimsical.

As I said, it was a fast build and she seemed to settle quickly into her new abode without much coaxing. I am a strong proponent of art for the sake of art but it is  always rewarding to see my work being used in a practical, functional way as well. I love the story the piece tells by not only using local and recycled materials but also where those materials came from. Using items that came from the farm ensures that each piece has a soul that can be traced back to the family and they can in turn take pride in displaying the finished piece in their home. These special relationships forged when a piece is presented to a customer is one of the reasons I do what I do.