Phil Gautreau picked up the hobby of woodworking from his father while growing up in New England. That’s where, he said,
"I discovered the complexities and tactile beauty of wood and developed an artistic instinct to make functional pieces."
The Museum Store is pleased to offer Gautreau's handcrafted fluted vases and serving boards, made in his Brooklyn studio from mostly reclaimed wood.
"Part of what makes this experience so gratifying is reimagining raw wood, whether from a large tree limb or pieces of discarded floor planks from a residential renovation, and transforming it into an artistic and functional piece," he said.
Gautreau gave up a career in healthcare management about 10 years ago to focus on his award-winning eco-craft. The Museum Store's collection includes hand-turned fluted vases made from redheart wood, quilted maple, and yew. They stand between 5.5 and 7.5 inches tall.
The Store also carries select styles of Gautreau's serving boards. Some of the serving boards are made from a mix of maple, cherry, and white oak; others are constructed with walnut, lacewood, cumaru, sapele, and bamboo. A third style has birdseye maple, sapele, zebrawood, lacewood, and wenge.
All products have a lifetime guarantee and are hand-branded with the artisan's signature. They are all coated with a food-safe beeswax and a mineral oil cream.