Woodcarver: Matt Gordon

When hurricane Andrew drowned dozens of Cuban mahogany trees in Dade County, Florida, it created a unexpected opportunity for Matt Gordon. The rare wood was barely accessible, yet one of his clients wanted a library paneled and decorated with the beautiful wood.

When Gordon discovered that the fallen timber was available, he purchased the "windfall" and built and carved the circular library. He used a clay model he built to help guide him through the four-year project, giving him a 3-D image of the piece, as he chiseled the mahogany.