About Us

 

Can Fine Art be functional?  Master wood artisans Christine and Ron Sisco prove that it can.  The Siscos, owners of Z Forest Gallery in Tubac - Arizona, create sublime hardwood furniture and kitchen wares with fine turquoise inlaid in the natural cracks and veins of the wood.

The Siscos developed the concept of enhancing the wood with stone based on ancient Chinese practices she learned in art history class.  “In the Ming Dynasty, cracks in porcelain were often filled with gold”, she explains.  We decided to try the same thing with turquoise in our artisan wood works.

To affix the turquoise, the Siscos use a space-age solution; they adhere the stone with a food-safe epoxy developed by the United States government in the 1960’s.  This adhesive hardens and protects the stone so that it will stand up to the rigors of everyday use.

The Siscos’ work is made exclusively form North American hardwoods including black walnut, cherry, and mesquite.  “These are all hard, tight-grained woods,” explains Christine.  “We provide food products, so all our creations are non-toxic and safe.”

 

 

Christine and Ron only use Sleeping Beauty turquoise for their inlay.  The Siscos choose this stone for its tranquil blue color and lack of black matrix.  “We only want the pure color of turquoise next to our woods for maximum contrast in the finished piece,” Christine says.

With this marriage of wood and turquoise, Christine and Ron have developed a sophisticated line of iterms for the home.  In addition to custom furniture, their most popular pieces are spoons and bread boards.

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