How I Spent My Summer Vacation

I’ve had a wonderful summer being in my studio alongside Cynthia. She recently became a docent at Bayou Bend, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston house museum for American decorative arts and paintings, a role she has wanted to pursue for quite some time.

As part of their intensive training, docents are required to complete either a research paper or a hands-on project. Cynthia chose to build a tambour box that can be used as a teaching aid for fellow docents and visitors to the museum. It was a complex and demanding project, and while I was allowed to serve as an advisor, Cynthia was required to do all of the woodworking herself.

Cynthia and I have spent decades working together on the renovation of three homes, including our current 1893 Victorian, so the workshop is familiar territory for her. Even so, fine cabinetmaking is quite different from finish carpentry. As you can see from the photos, she met the challenge and passed with flying colors.

This was a remarkable project, a challenging piece, and a wonderful addition to Bayou Bend. For me, however, the greatest reward was spending so much time with Cynthia in the shop as the piece took shape. I can’t imagine a better way to have spent my summer.

And now it's time to get back to the workbench.

-Bob