River Matai Geometric Inlaid Boards - Bookmatched Sister Set

Handcrafted from a single slab of watercolored River Matai, this pair of boards was designed as a sister set—two halves of the same story. 
Each board features an intricate 285-piece geometric inlay, made from River Kauri, River Matai, River Rimu, River Totara, and River Puriri, all old growth native timbers reclaimed from New Zealand’s riverbeds.

Though they share the same foundation, a single, intentional difference sets them apart— the central River Rimu strip of each piece has been graded to create a gradient across the pattern.
In one, the transition flows from light in the center to dark on the outside, reflecting the way time has slowly deepened the colour and preserved this timber while submerged.
In the other, the gradient is reversed, deep, dark tones at the center move to light at the edges, symbolizing emergence, renewal, and the shifting nature of time itself. 

These boards were intended to be displayed together, complementing each other like mirrored reflections—opposite, yet deeply connected.
Whether used as functional pieces or as striking works of art, they serve as a reminder that transformation, contrast, and balance are all part of the same journey.

Sanded and finished to 5000 grit with Rubio Monocoat +2C in Pure