The earliest way of decorating a wood article was perhaps by means of carving. In the case of oak, the hardness of the timber severely limited the craftsman, but the coming of walnut was more encouraging.

About fifty years ago, when the subject of English furniture first began to be studied and to be written about, it was divided conveniently into four distinct types. One writer called his books on the subject The Age of Oak, The Age of Walnut, The Age of Mahogany and The Age of Satinwood.

Although I am sure that your own intuition and intelligence have by now suggested other concrete action you may take in order to bring your inborn "A.Q." (Aesthetic Quotient) up to its strongest potential, I should like to run through a few rudimentary steps in order to provide you some basic start.

"Any work that aspires, however humbly, to the condition of art should carry its justification in every line." - Joseph Conrad When you finally decide on a course of action, all the usual psychological blocks are bound to occur.