Rustic Woodwork
The only participant to display hardwood furniture and room accessories, Rustic Woodworks easily stood out in this year’s recently concluded Regional Trade Fair. A beautiful six-seater dining set made from molave hardwood was the centerpiece of their booth. There was also a wide, three- to four-seater bench that frequently caught the attention of stragglers and observers. There were also two items included in their display that were very interesting. First was a wall fixture showcasing a stretch of genuine bearskin set in a delicate, web-like design of sticks and driftwood. The oval frame was made from intertwined branches of different kinds and colors. The frame itself was beautiful and was equally interesting as the bearskin. The second one was a necklace fashioned from a preserved and polished monkey skull with the spinal column serving as its chain.
Rustic Woodwork is an organic and driftwood furniture manufacturing company in Valencia, Bukidnon. It is owned and run by brothers Benjie Arrieta and Jory Arrieta They are now celebrating their tenth year in the woodworking business. They primarily manufacture household furniture like dining sets, living room and bedroom furniture, as well as lampshades, stools, coffee tables, side tables and decorative stands. As Benjie Arrieta puts it, Rustic Woodwork makes “anything that can be possibly made from wood”.
They primarily use Molave or Tugas because it is the most abundant hardwood in Valencia. They make use of driftwood and fallen trees from the hills and forests of Bukidnon. Most of the time, the owners of wooded lands bring driftwood over to their workplace. Before purchasing them, the quality and creative possibilities of the wood are considered. Most of their chairs and tables are made using the natural shape and form of the wood.
“Kailangan naa ka’y interes sa kahoy para sa ingon ani nga negosyo (You have to have a genuine interest in wood when you’re in this business),” says Jory Arrieta. For the brothers, their interest in the business started when they were kids. Jory says that they got it from their father. They used to accompany him in looking out for driftwood that comes in from the Polangi River. It is this deeply ingrained interest in woodworking that prompted them to establish Rustic Woodwork.
The Arrieta brothers themselves supervise and do most of the work, along with a number of assistants. One can only imagine the dedication, diligence and hard work needed in order to finish a piece. Sanders are used to smoothen the surface of each piece of wood before they are assembled to create a chair, table, or a lamp stand. They are then polished to a gloss as a finishing touch. It may take an average of one month to finish one furniture set. A lot of creativity and imagination is also needed in the business. Jory pointed out a rack for wine bottles that is assembled using several pieces of polished sticks to prove the point.
Besides hardwood furniture, Rustic Woodwork also sells amulets and pendants embedded with stones, bones and limbs of small animals and reptiles. They have craftsmen that specialize in these unique handworks.
The finished wood pieces are priced according to size, labor and design considerations. Wooden bowls and kitchen utensils are sold at less than P1,000 apiece, while the dining set that was on display was priced at P75,000.00.
-Jay Daphne Bual
