Category Archives: bowls

Transferred Touch

Things men have made with wakened hands are awake through years with transferred touch, and go on glowing for long years. And for this reason, some old things are lovely warm still with the life of forgotten men who made … Continue reading

Posted in bowls, finding wood, historical reference, patterns, proportions, quotes and excerpts, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 31 Comments

The Three Stages

I’m preparing a couple blanks for my program at Fine Woodworking Live in two weeks.  I noticed I had walnut bowls sitting around in three stages, so I’ll call them Larry, Curly, and Mo.  Larry is a log section — … Continue reading

Posted in bowls, finding wood, green woodworking, holding, layout, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Memorial Bowl

This tulip poplar log came to me with a history.  John’s son-in-law explained to me that John watched this tree grow and would often comment on its simple beauty and growth when they were together.  A couple years ago, John … Continue reading

Posted in bowls, Lettering, nature, trees, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Putting the Wood in the Driver’s Seat

One of the things I enjoy most about greenwood carving is the challenge of making the most out of the wood that becomes available.  The individual characteristics of the log or branch drive the design, while I navigate among the … Continue reading

Posted in bowls, carving, drying, finding wood, Lettering, spoons, trees, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 17 Comments

Winter Walnut

Getting my hands on a good walnut log recently, I decided to rough out a few bowls from it, then return to each one individually down the road.  Some of these will be destined for folks that have been waiting … Continue reading

Posted in bowls, green woodworking, nature, publications, teaching, Uncategorized, video, walnut | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

True Hope is Swift

True hope is swift, and flies with swallow’s wings. Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings.           — William Shakespeare, Richard III, Act V, Scene ii I knew I had to carve that first line … Continue reading

Posted in bird bowls, bowls, carving, cherry, finding wood, green woodworking, Lettering, quotes and excerpts, trees, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 24 Comments

Bent Bowl

I’m the guy that orders vanilla ice cream at Baskin Robbins, so you can imagine how wild I felt carving this asymmetrical bowl.  The silver maple log flared out wider at one end and also had a slight twist.  Going with … Continue reading

Posted in bowls, finding wood, layout, Lettering, sketch, trees, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

It Took a Crook

An oak crook, more specifically, was the origin of this rooster-inspired bowl that I’ve just finished.  The flow of the grain is evident in the top photo in the line between the light sapwood and the darker heartwood.  I first … Continue reading

Posted in bird bowls, bowls, cherry, finding wood, green woodworking, paint, trees, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 14 Comments

A Bird in the Hand

I’ll be thrilled one day if I ever convince a chickadee to eat from my hand.  Until then, this little guy will have to do.  I carved him from a small maple crook, and learned the difficulties of carving small.  … Continue reading

Posted in bird bowls, bowls, cherry, nature, proportions, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 26 Comments

Quiet Hen

Noise proves nothing.  Often a hen who has merely laid an egg cackles as if she had laid an asteroid. Mark Twain, Following the Equator (1897) No asteroid under this chicken.  Since my last post, I finished her with oil … Continue reading

Posted in bird bowls, bowls, paint, quotes and excerpts, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments