Historically cribbage boards were made to be rectangular, or some sort of linear model. For example, one of the oldest designs is that of an equilateral triangle. So I designed a board that has never been seen before and completely one of a kind. All the metal on the piece is done in brass (red) and the wood that I chose for the base is cherry wood. 

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To start, I sketched out the face of the board in my sketchbook to scale so that all my mathematical calculations would be correct. From there I had to figure out how I wanted to build the board itself. The brass surface would not work as a board because it is too thin. I ended up walking into the sculpture studio and asked a professor there if they could help me cut a piece of wood for me. The wood was constructed by cutting two circles out of wood and routing out the areas where the drawers would be. Those two pieces were then glued together and clamped for several weeks. The entire brass surface of the board is engraved. By using the flex shaft, the engraver is made to vibrate in the horizontal direction so that when you press it against the metal and guide it, the sharp end scoops out the metal.

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There are 596 holes double drilled on the surface of the board. The pins holding the board down to the surface are called escutcheon brads and each one was reshaped and sharpened in order to secure the metal to the wood. 

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In the metal of the two drawers, and hanging from two branches of the tree of life in the center is the Celtic knot for father daughter strength and love. The Celtic symbol for father daughter tells the story of Brighid who sat close to her dying father. As she waited she weaved a knot from bushes. Her father noticed and asked her what she was doing. She explained how each loop is not able to be separated from the whole just as their relationship was interwoven so too were they wrapped up with those who follow in the life after. 

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In the center of the board is a tree of life that I designed. The tree of life has many different symbols and meaning around the world. The symbols of the tree of life are comprised of all aspects of the tree itself and what those elements mean. Roots, trunk, branches, leaves, fruit, all of these parts of the tree have symbolism that make up the tree of life symbol as a whole. The tree of life provides the breath of life and the act of inspiration. In the tree’s branches it symbolizes reaching out to accept nourishment of the sun. The leaves are thought to be healing, collecting strength and captures nourishment and cherishes it through transformation into life. The father daughter love knots are hanging like leaves from the tree collecting strength as the years go by.