Further down below you will find two quite unique custom designed women's purses, wood art that rivals anything found in the trendiest of New York or Paris fashion houses. But first, two more superb examples of Maui master artisan Tom Calhoun's splendid design, joinery work and creative marquetry.

This unusual table is all about the wood. The Hawaiian "curly-grain" Koa almost glows with an inner beauty, which is the hallmark of this quite rare tropical wood. It is accented with spalted Tamarind and inlays of Bamboo.

Born in Waialua, Oahu, Tom Calhoun grew up as the middle child in a family of four brothers and one sister. As the children were typical teenagers of the 60's, family discussions covered a wide range of topics, and created an arena of curiosity and challange of old ideas. Tom learned to question, and, even more importantly, to seek out answers for himself.

Tom's search for truth in life carries over to his daily work in wood. Finding the proper balance between design and the inherent beauty of the wood itself required a lot of creative effort. The process starts with the physical labor of felling and then milling trees into usable lumber. Then comes the design element. Tom is known to produce pages of sketches in the process of refining an initial inspiration.

"My woodworking is personally satisfying because it's a craft that keeps me physically, mentally, and emotionally active", says Tom.