David Cooper of Todds Creek Wood Works creates works of art out of everyday objects that can be used in the home.

He is a new artist on this year’s Made in Mathews Open Studio Tour, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 23 and 24, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 25.

The tour of 11 art studios includes 14 artists this year. It is self-guided, free, and open to the public.

Cooper specializes in such practical items as serving trays, cutting boards, and occasional tables. During the tour, he will also have gifts as small as coasters and crab mallets available for purchase.

All of the items Cooper creates are made of domestic and exotic woods, showcasing the wide variety of natural colors and textures available in his material of choice. An unusual wood such as Purpleheart (which is as purple as its name implies) or Hawaiian Koa creates a dramatic accent when combined with such domestic woods as maple, burled walnut, mesquite, or oak.

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