Prismatics: dynamic patterns in wood

“Prism: A transparent solid body used for dispersing light into a spectrum or for reflecting rays of light. From the Greek word prîsma literally, something sawn.”  — dictionary.com

Wood is not generally thought of as a prism but some species of wood have a translucent cellular structure that can reflect light in unexpected ways. I utilize this distinctive quality, which is sometimes referred to as luster, to create contrasting patterns. I make the contrasting patterns without using contrasting woods. Rather, I produce the contrast by carefully controlling the lustrous properties of a single species; the resulting pattern is not only contrasting but also dynamic—it shifts from positive to negative as the viewing angle or the light source changes—and at some perspectives the pattern may barely be visible.