A knot, bark inclusion, a void, or insect holes are all surprises that give each piece a uniqueness that makes it a “one of a kind”.
I enjoy showing people what a tree looks like on the inside. I joined the Chesapeake Woodturners Club and then studied with some fine turners of wood like Ron Fleming, David Ellsworth, Johannes Michaelson and most recently Trent Bosch.
Working with wood has made me more sensitive to nature, creation and the Creator. The grain of the wood in a tree is never repeated. Each tree is unique in how it grows and develops. The grain grows vertically up the tree and varies dependent upon the amount of rain and sun it receives in different years. Grain color is consistent with each type of tree---ash is cream to white; oaks are tan to dark brown. Cherry is a rich orange. The trees I use to make my bowls and vessels have come down in damaging storms, or have been cut down due to development or disease. My own philosophy is not to destroy a healthy tree in order to create a bowl.
Recycling wood that would otherwise become firewood or decay as it lies on the ground, seems a better use of this natural resource. As the trees come to me, they are green or freshly cut which means it contains 20-30 % moisture. Turning green wood is my preference. There are several advantages to turning fresh cut wood. As the wood turns 800-1200 RPM, the shavings come off the tool cool and wet verses hot when the wood is dry. Green wood also comes off the tool in ribbons vs. dry chips and dust. The other advantage is that the final bowl or vessel shapes it self as it slowly dries. The results are often an optical illusion. A bowl turned round becomes oval as it dries and loses most of its moisture. This natural shaping adds to the uniqueness and beauty of the wood.
Some people prefer bowls with the bark left on (called a natural edge). Others delight in knots, holes, or black lines (called spalting). Others expect a bowl to sit flat and have a practical use such as displaying fruit or pine cones or serving salad or holding potpourri.
All of my wood is finished with a tung oil and water based oils and are food safe. I often use mineral oil to produce a soft food friendly finish.
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