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Category Archives: figure
Goose-Inspired Sugar Maple Bowl
What a dull world if we knew all about geese! Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac (1949) Geese still hold plenty of mystery for me. In this part of the world, they are Canada geese. Their abundance makes them easy … Continue reading
Posted in bird bowls, figure, finding wood, nature, quotes and excerpts, tools, Uncategorized
Tagged carved goose, goose bowl, maple bowl, maple goose, saw blade scraper
28 Comments
Maple Branch to Maple Bird
A blank canvas can be daunting. I like how the peculiarities in a piece of tree focus the possibilities for me. I just finished this bird bowl from a twisted maple branch and I thought I’d share some photos I … Continue reading
Bird Bowl from Straight Grain
Most of the bird bowls I make come from crooks, with the form following the flow of the fibers. In designing and making this bowl, I tried to achieve similar lines and a sense of movement within the constraints of … Continue reading
Posted in bird bowls, figure, finding wood, layout, patterns, quotes and excerpts, sketch, tools, trees, Uncategorized
8 Comments
Dealing with Interlocked Grain
Trees do funny things. This cherry was taken down a few months ago in a friend’s yard. This section has a 4 1/2″ radius and 55 growth rings. We tend to think of the fibers going straight up the trunk … Continue reading
Posted in bowls, cherry, figure, finding wood, green woodworking, holding, trees, Uncategorized
Tagged carving cherry, cherry bowl, interlocked grain, selecting carving wood
16 Comments
Ambrosia Maple Bowl
A little bread—a crust—a crumb— A little trust—a demijohn— Can keep the soul alive— — Emily Dickinson, from Poem 159 (1896) Looking back, I was surprised at how long it had been since I’d carved a lettered bowl like this. … Continue reading
Posted in bowls, figure, Lettering, quotes and excerpts, trees, Uncategorized
Tagged ambrosia, Emily Dickinson
5 Comments
Playing With Cool Sticks
Green woodworking can imply more than just the general notion of working wood that is still relatively fresh with a high moisture content. Among other things, the term connotes the idea of working with nature, sensitively considering the unique attributes … Continue reading
Posted in bird bowls, bowls, cherry, figure, finding wood, green woodworking, Uncategorized
Tagged cherry bowl, goose bowl
14 Comments
Feline Inspiration
You can learn a lot by watching cats. They are studies in elegant movement and sinuous lines. Our cat, Mavis (named after a Thomas-the-Train engine), is sixteen years old. Quick sketches of him appear here and there through my sketchbooks. … Continue reading
Posted in carving, figure, patterns, proportions, Uncategorized
Tagged butternut carving, cat carving, sleeping cat
14 Comments
Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign
“Please, do not touch.” There are certain posted signs that disappoint me, but perhaps none more than that. I can deal with “Stay off the Grass.” In fact, I may have had no desire to walk on the grass, at … Continue reading
Carving like Caron
I often listen to audio books while carving in the shop, and I recently finished Irving Stone’s 1934 book Lust for Life, a biographical novel about the life and work of Vincent van Gogh. Early on, as learning exercises, Vincent … Continue reading