Mark P. Mooney & Kathleen M. Allen, Ginkgo Studios

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Mark P. Mooney and his wife Kathleen M. Allen, co-founded Ginkgo Studios LLC in 2008. They are guided and inspired by the philosophy and beauty of the Arts and Crafts Movement of the last century.  Honest craftsmanship, good design, and the use of organic materials are the cornerstones of their work.

 

Mark makes fine furniture and custom hardwood picture frames in the Arts and Crafts, Greene and Greene, and Mission styles. Mark works mainly with traditional hardwoods like quartersawn white oak, African mahogany, and African ebony. While he appreciates the traditional use of hand tools, Mark uses both machine and hand tools to produce his pieces. He also tries to emulate the traditional wood stains of the period. While Mark makes multiple copies of his work, subtle variations in wood, stains, finishes, and his changing skill level and mind set all guarantee that each piece will be a unique creation.

 

Kathleen makes ceramic art tiles and pottery using techniques inspired by ancient potters as well as the Arts and Crafts Movement of the early 1900s. She focuses on simplicity, nature, and purpose and uses traditional hand-building techniques. Surface textures and carving maintain a close connection between nature and the finished piece while interior glazes are applied so that they can be used for functional purposes. Some of these exterior surfaces take on the organic character of natural landscapes and the built environment exemplified by adobe architecture. Tiles continue these themes through images of the natural world and other cultural motifs. 

Mark and Kathleen can be reached at ginkgostudios@comcast.net, ginkgostudioskat@gmail.com, or on their website theginkgostudios.com