My Art Brush Process:

I have been making art brushes for several years and I have probably made a thousand or so. They started out very primitive and over time have evolved into something beautiful as well as functional. I have developed a true love for wood so when I am out walking I am the slow one because I am always stopping to pick up sticks.

My process has many steps and can be more labor intensive that it looks.

First I look for sticks that have fallen to the ground. I look for interesting shapes, the condition, and the size.
I take the bark off and cut it into manageable sizes .
Next is sanding and lot’s of it. When working with slices of burls this takes quite some time
The sticks are then put into the oven at 200 degrees F for several hours incase there are pests.
Based on the size and shape of the wood I determine what size hole to drill, then drill it. Sometimes there are several holes
I apply oil to bring the dry wood back to life
Next is adding the brush material. I repurpose old brooms, wallpaper brushes, paint brushes, and vintage casters. Also feathers which I buy. Because these materials have been used before they require some cleaning especially the casters which can be very rusty.
Cleaning out nooks and crannies so that any crack is clean and sanded.
Apply wax, let it dry, and buff
Lastly I wood burn my logo into the bottom

Most of the wood I use is found but I sometimes have the opportunity to buy some burls. They are my favorite to work with. A burl is a growth that occurs on a tree do to some sort of stress. Many people make bowls out of burls but I like to slice them and make brushes out of them. These require more work than a regular stick but the outcome is awesome.