Boats and Boards

As a seasoned woodworker and acclaimed furniture designer, Steve Sabella of Sabella Studio has had three primary inspirations: classic American craftsmanship, nautical motifs and re-purposing/recycling. From tables and bedsteads to sideboards and bureaus, his pieces are one-of-a-kind artistic expressions. So it’s no surprise that his cutting boards draw on those same themes. Made from “leftovers” or “cutoffs” from the furniture pieces, the boards reference the polished wood surfaces on a sailboat, with their joined-wood stripes and end knots. They reflect both classic and nautical shapes with their bowed longitudinal sides. And Sabella’s commitment to using locally harvested wood or reclaimed lumber whenever possible allows him to come up with unusual combinations of wood colors and textures, from maple, oak, birch and cherry to ash, pine and walnut. The boards are so striking that even if you use one side for chopping, you might want to save the other side to use as a “presentation” board. Sabella has also designed a novelty wine bottle holder, with a boat-shaped base. For beauty or utility, Sabella’s boards and bottle holders will be the conversation piece at any table.

Check out the Artists’ Cooperative Gallery of Westerly to see Sabella’s work or visit him online at SabellaStudio.com; 401.439.0564.