“I wanted to express the history, hardships, durability, and beauty of our American flag.”
My work with the American flag is meant to capture its history, hardships, durability, and beauty. Each piece begins with steam-bent oak—shaped, sanded, and hand-painted with a variety of artistic mediums. The bending process gives the flag a natural, flowing motion, as if it’s waving in the air. To honor our past, the flag is antiqued, with a broken staff symbolizing sacrifice and tattered, blackened edges reflecting the struggles we’ve endured. Oak represents the enduring strength of the American spirit, while the stars and stripes are brought to life with a finish that transitions from semi-gloss to matte, highlighting both brilliance and humility. Every flag is a one-of-a-kind work of art, signed and dated.
— Gyhl Koeppen
USMC Veteran
Select the style you would like me to build.
Each American Flag is built upon request and is a unique piece of art. I'll get in touch with you and let you know when I expect to ship. The quantity of orders I have on hand will determine how long it takes to ship. I appreciate you stopping by Bench Built. Feel free to contact me before you order to confirm the details. I'm excited to collaborate with you to produce a stunning work of art!
The lost art of steam bending.
Working with Chuck's Woodbarn for the past 25 years has allowed me to become an expert at steam-bending oak. We build beautiful vintage-style furniture that includes steam-bending lids for camelback “steamer” trunks. I've been able to produce a very original piece of art thanks to these techniques. The canvas is steam-bent oak, it’s shaped, and I paint a distinctively textured and figured American flag with acrylics. To add some realism, I then antique the entire piece. In this process, a variety of artistic techniques are employed. You can be sure that this American flag will be the focal point in any room.