This “Intarsia** Art” Cairn Terrier is truly a piece of sculpture. It is hand made by a retired fellow in North Eastern Pennsylvania. It is beautifully stained and sealed with many coats of a lacquer finish to protect it for years and years to come (indoor use only). It has a hanger on the back. It measures 14 ˝” from ear to bottom and 12” wide. If you love the Wheaten Cairn Terrier, with perky black point ears, you’ll love having this to hang in your home.

**Intarsia is a form of wood inlaying that is similar to a puzzle type sculpture. The term is also used for a similar technique used with small, highly polished stones or marble. The technique of intarsia inlays sections of wood, at times of different origins, within the solid matrix. The pieces are perfectly placed within a plain of a solid base (such as plywood or louan). The technique of intarsia is believed to have developed in the Islamic world; introduced into Europe through Sicily, the art was perfected in Siena and in northern Italy in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, spreading to German centers and introduced into London by Flemish craftsmen in the later sixteenth century.

It is the craft of using varied shapes, sizes and species of wood fitted together to create an almost 3-D inlaid, mosaic-like picture. It is thought that the word 'intarsia' is derived from the Latin word 'interserere' which means "to insert" and that it was originally developed in Siena, Italy in the 13th century by crafters using inlays of ivory inserted in wood as well as inlays of wood inserted into wall murals, table tops and other furniture.

Today, intarsia is created by selecting different types of wood, using its natural grain patterns and color, in addition to dyes, stains, and paints) to create the different colors in the pattern. Each piece of wood is then individually cut, shaped, and sanded before fitting them together like a jig-saw puzzle and gluing them to a piece of 1/4 inch backing cut to the outline shape of the final product. Once together, a final layer of finish is applied and the project is complete.