Landon Wiedenman's inlaid furniture reflects a conservationist's respect for nature, a stubborn insistence on only the best materials, and a belief in producing only the highest quality artwork. Every piece is designed from his clients dreams and desires, then custom made entirely by hand. The fine detail in each inlayed design is the combined result of his exhaustive preparation, patient effort, and expertly honed technique.

Born the son of a cabinetmaker and stained-glass artisan, Landon took to the family tradition with a philosopher's eye and total devotion to his products. From his father he learned that a cabinet is not just a place to keep dishes, but a work of art that must complement and enhance the room. His mother, with her own artistic talents, instilled in him the use of color and light while creating stained-glass windows for churches. Born and raised an artist, he never looked back.

As a young man he found a fascination with the drawings and designs of Leonardo da Vinci. Studying the Renaissance master's drawings and conducting his own study of the human body and animals he learned to recreate their complex forms accurately. As a practicing massage therapist and teacher, Wiedenman has an understanding of the body and its aesthetic form beyond most artists. Developing true understanding of his artistic subjects is a cornerstone of Wiedenman's preparation. Before designing the hummingbird inlaid box featured at this years Design in Wood show, he poured over images, characteristics, and descriptions of the particular species he wanted to capture and immortalize in the client's commission. From his research came a detailed native bird appearing in its natural setting, a birch tree. The rich amboyna burl was chosen to match with the markings of the male Rufous Hummingbird. Combined with the quality of construction and the intricately detailed inlay, these careful steps in design made the box a complete piece of fine art tailored to fit his clients' home.

Landon Wiedenman's work is also highly influenced by his study as a musician. While studying classical guitar he found an appreciation for the craftsmanship in fine guitars, but it was writing his own music that brought him to an understanding that not all guitars are equal. He wanted to build a guitar fit to his own hands and his own artistic style. This would lead him to the seek out masters such as guitar maker Peter Barberio. Barberio is best known for repairing and restoring sound to guitars for members of Pearl Jam, Credence Clearwater Revival, and B.B. King. Wiedenman's techniques have been developed by adapting lessons from luthiers as diverse as Ren Ferguson and Boaz Elkayam. Guitar making requires the utmost understanding of the wood, the blending of form and function, and an aesthetic sense of design that goes beyond the look, feel, and sound of the guitar, all of these elements have been combined in his own work.

Further art study brought him to a great teacher and friend, the acclaimed custom knife maker Barry Gallagher. Under his direction Wiedenman practiced and developed the techniques of precise inlay and custom design. In Gallagher's Montana workshop he learned the value of quality and patience, never cutting corners nor sacrificing absolute quality for convenience.

In 2001 Wiedenman began to work under the Wiedenman Custom Inlay name. After spending several years in San Diego, Landon has returned to his source and continued the development of an exclusive line of fine furniture and art in Star Valley, Wyoming. His business and artistic philosophies continue to reflect his core principles of drawing on natural beauty and creating great art for his customers. This commitment to his patrons shows in his work. He enjoys getting to know his clients, and won't start a custom piece until he is well acquainted with their desires and expectations. Every design, every detail of his furniture is carefully choreographed and always personally symbolic.

An avid outdoorsman, Landon scours the physical world for his palette. His devotion to a philosophy of only natural materials requires that the colors, shades, and textures in every custom piece are naturally occuring. It's no accident that Wiedenman's artwork lasts. He uses no plastic or painted materials, and without stains to fade or paint to chip off, every custom inlay design will become a treasured heirloom, appreciated for generations. Only the finest aged, cured, and seasoned woods find their way into his workshop. Then he pairs woods with similar properties and designs to accomodate movement, so every piece fits and stays together as if grown into place.

When asked from where his artistic philosophy came about he responds by quoting John Knowles:

"In every man's life there is a before and an after." In my life the event that defined that point was a three month solo hike through the Montana wilderness. The extreme solitude gave me the clarity of mind to see exactly what it was that I lived for...beauty. More importantly I discovered my need to express that wealth and share it with others.

Many of his custom designs are inspired by the vast Montana wilderness of his youth. Rich contrasts, the juxtaposition of earth and sky, form a beauty he tries to parallel as a designer and maker of fine furniture.