I’ve just finished two tall shrink pots. Each represents an experiment with texture and pattern, respectively, and I plan on making a small example of each to take along to my classes at Pete Galbert’s later this year. Meanwhile, both of these are available for purchase now. More photos and information are below.

Both of these began with the boring of a 2″ hole through a green log. The video segment above, recorded back in July, shows me boring with a T-handle auger in black birch. This is the log the taller of these shrink pots came from.

After boring out the centers, shaving down the exteriors roughly round with a drawknife, and fitting the bottoms, I let them dry and shrink. Then they sat around for several months. Blank canvases. The one on the left is black birch. I worked around the exterior walls, across the grain, with a gouge to create textured parallel graduated bands (wider at the bottom of the pot, narrower at the top).

For the one on the right, red maple, I shaved and planed to create an octagonal exterior, then decided to add a chip-carved pattern. I sketched right on the walls, playing around with ideas. After I carved the pattern along each of the eight ridges, the possibility of the four-sided chips (like dots) in between struck me. They line up to create a shallow spiral around the pot and a steep spiral in the opposite direction.

Both are painted with milk paint from Real Milk Paint Co. (RMP finishes) and topcoated with Viking Purified Linseed Oil Wax. I was out of any greens, so both of the colors resulted from mixing blues and yellows from the sample packets I had on hand. The one on the left has an undercoat of a mix of paprika and persimmon. There were plenty of small test pieces.

The lids are cherry and walnut, respectively, and both finials are from riven hickory, for strength in their slenderness.

As I mentioned, both are available for purchase. Ready for storing your dry spaghetti, paint brushes, pick-up-sticks… If you’re interested, please email me at dandkfish@gmail.com. Thanks!

Left (carved rings): Black birch, cherry, hickory, milk paint. 16 3/4″ tall (11 1/2″ without the finial) x 2 3/8″ wide. $475 includes shipping. SOLD

Right (chip carved): Red maple, black walnut, hickory, milk paint. 15″ tall (9 1/4″ without the finial) x 2 3/8″ wide. $475 includes shipping. SOLD