Apr 22, 2014
Piece #434 – Oak & Maple with Calcite Inlay and Copper Bottom – 7″ by 5.5″ – SOLD
This piece has had more lives than a cat. It started out as an ordinary oak bowl. But, the top blew out while turning. A maple piece I was working on later, the bottom blew out. Of course I keep all these worthless pieces. So I decide to marry the maple top to the oak bottom. Looked like you know what. Needed something. Black and white calcite inlay to separate the oak from the maple. That works. Okay, still not right. Got it – turn the oak black with Iron Water ebony technique. Looks awesome.
Now we just cut off the tenon that’s gripped by the chuck and finish it. Right. Cutting the tenon to close left a small hole in the bottom. What a dumb ass! Now what? Make a plug, fill the hole, putty it, sand it. Looks like sh– well you know. Gotta hide it without a tell. Got just the ticket. Apply Copper leaf to the bottom. Use sodium sulfide to put an antique patina on the copper and, Voila Old Oak Pot with Copper Bottom. It’s not about the destination; it’s about the journey.
Apr 22, 2014
Piece #432 – Bradford Pear with Calcite Inlay – 12″ by 7″ – SOLD
This large natural edge, Bradford Pear bowl came out really gorgeous – THEN disaster. It checked! My muse said it looked like lightning struck it. I seized the idea and widened the checks, flattened them, stabilized the movement and inlaid calcite crystals to look like lightning bolts. WOW! It looks marvelous. And that is why all artists need a muse. Thank you Carolyn.
Apr 22, 2014
Piece #429 – Bradford Pear with Calcite crystal inlay – 10″ by 6″ by 1″ – SOLD
This piece developed wings over time. No pun intended. I sliced a Bradford tree limb into about four flat pieces. The idea was to make small hor d’oeuvres trays. That never panned out. I put this piece on the lathe and gave it a slight concave shape. Then I cut the circle groove for mineral inlay. I lost interest and set it aside. It was a dust collector for about two years. When I got the idea for “Rose Among Thorns” Piece #427, I needed to try out the 3D carving effect. I saw the Bradford Pear on the shelf, grabbed a pencil and sketched the tree sprigs around the circle I had made. An idea was born. One thing led to another. The Damsel Fly is a species of dragon fly. Did you catch the play on words? (Damsel in Distress)
Apr 22, 2014
Piece #419 – Sycamore – Calcite Mineral – 5″ by 8.5″ – SOLD
This is a collaboration of my son Chris and myself. He did the cardinal in oil paint. I turned the vase, inlaid the top and bottom with calcite and pierced and textured the piece. It is very unusual.
Mar 6, 2014
Piece #427 – Maple with Calcite crystals – 7″ by 1″
This free standing medallion is turned from Hard Maple. The outside motif is made up of carved and pierced rose thorns and rose buds. The thorns, leaves and buds are highlighted with pyrography. The buds and leaves are painted with an air brush. Just inside the motif is a Calcite inlaid circle separating the thorns from the rose. The rose is inlaid Calcite crystals with a smidgen of red glass. It is finished with several coats of satin lacquer. As of this date, 3/6/2014 it is my favorite piece.
Piece Lying Flat on Back
Piece showing Included Display Stand
Close Up of Rose
Calcite Crystals and Glass
Thorn Motif
Mar 6, 2014
Piece #426 – Oak – 12″ by 5″ – SOLD
This is a big heavy bowl! After it was turned it developed a couple of small hairline checks. I stabilized them with thin CA glue and Oak wood flour. To turn the Oak black I applied liberal amounts of Iron Water and let it react over night. Iron Water is a solution of white vinegar, 00 steel wool and tea. The Iron Water reacts with the tannis in the oak and the tea and turns black. The bowl was put back on the lathe and polished with 00 steel wool so that some of the original Oak showed through. I then applied several coats of blond shellac. Make a great bowl to display pine cones in your mountain cabin.
Mar 5, 2014
Piece #425 – Maple with Calcite – 8″ by .5″ – SOLD
This standing medallion is made from Hard Maple. The Dragon Fly and rim design are inlaid Calcite crystals. The bamboo sprig is wood burned with air brushed green leaves. When doing this piece I kept thinking “Less is More”.
Lying Flat
Medallion with Display Stand
Close UP
Purple Rim Inlay
Mar 5, 2014
Piece #423 – Ambrosia Maple – 5.5″ by 5″ – SOLD
In October of last year I attended a Master’s workshop at Arrowmont Art School in Gatlinburg, TN. The master was Binh Poh. The workshop was thin wall turning with embellishment using pyrography, piercing, texturing and air brushing. The air brushing and wood burning (pyrography) was new for me. This vase is my first attempt at using an air brush. I have a lot to learn yet. you can see the 360 view at YouTube http://youtu.be/u1F0cCTBv9o
Mar 5, 2014
Piece #422 -Wild Cherry – 10.5″ by 7.5″ – SOLD
This Wild Cherry natural edge bowl is a specimen. I love the shape and the texture of the bark. The stippling on the sap wood adds just the right amount of “Pop”.
Mar 1, 2014
Piece #420 – Elm – 7.5″ by 3.5″ – SOLD
This Elm closed form is pierced. Hidden in the piercing are four chameleons. The top opening is embellished with stippling. The critters are outlined with pyrography to help you see them.
Mar 1, 2014
Piece #417 – Wild Cherry & Maple – 10″ by 5″ – NFS
This art piece started out as a natural rim bowl. It morphed over time into this. I took it to a weekend workshop at Arrowmont in Gatlinburg TN. The master was Binh Pho and the workshop was embellishment with piercing, pyrography, texturing, and air brushing. This is the first piece I finished from that workshop.
Top Lookin Down
Front
Side
Another Top View
Base
Mar 1, 2014
Piece #415 – Curly Camphor – Calcite Mineral – 7.5″ by 1.5″ – SOLD
This precious little bowl is made from camphor and inlaid with Calcite mineral. It has a display stand included. It can be displayed standing on a shelf or sitting flat on your coffee table. In either case you will get lots of comments from your art loving friends.
Displayed standing Up
Displayed sitting Flat
Back side on Display Stand
Close UP of Mineral Inlay
Close UP of Inlaid Rim
Feb 28, 2014
Piece #413 – Elm – Calcite Mineral – 6.5″ by 2″ – SOLD
This small dish has an inlaid gecko. The mineral used is calcite.
Calcite mineral inlay
