The Metzger family has been producing fine art furniture for almost 40 years. Metzger’s Burlwood Gallery specializes in highly figured wood and burl. “We cherish our old-growth forests and choose to utilize only salvaged woods,” says founder Steve Metzger. “Those that are previously cut like redwood cut from 1850 to the early 1900s, or trees that have lived to the end of their life and have to be taken down. At Metzger’s, you will find only salvaged American woods. That way we can verify the source and know they are not cutting old-growth habitat.”
Steve fell in love with burl more than 50 years ago and started his business in California with a wood yard and cutting operation in Petaluma and his High Sierra Gallery in San Francisco, which operated through the 1970s and 1980s. “He is an expert at sourcing highly figured wood, reading the log and knowing what it will reveal when cut,” says Janet Metzger, his wife and gallery manager. “Finding a prized piece of wood starts with reading the outside of a tree and knowing what the wood will look like once cut. After the log is slabbed and dried, the choice for a project is not just choosing a beautiful piece but also taking into account the integrity of the slab.”
The couple’s son, Daniel, brings the same expertise and knowledge to the business. “Daniel and Steve are both at the top of their game,” says Janet. “It is a pleasure to watch their designs turn into functional art.”
On any visit to Metzger’s Burlwood Gallery you may see fire-scarred redwood, birdseye burls, ribbon-figured wood, curly-grained woods, spalted woods, heavily mineralized redwood with a crystalline reflection in the grain, and single, live-edge burl slabs large enough for dining tables. The success of Metzger’s Burlwood Gallery results not only from Daniel and Steve’s skill but also from a deep family commitment to nature and the forest ecosystem. “We share what we know about the wood,” says Steve. “Each piece has a story to tell. If you know the way to decipher what you see in the wood, it reveals the history of the tree.”
Visit Metzger’s Burlwood Gallery at 2770 Old Balsam Road, Waynesville. To learn more, visit BurlGallery.com or call 828.452.2550.
