Category Archives: Uncategorized

1974

In 1974, I hadn’t yet learned to read.  I didn’t know what I was missing.  Two books with a similar theme were published in that year, and they are both gems.  Both involve married couples traveling thousands of miles to … Continue reading →

Posted in books, photography, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Bottoms Up

It’s time to think about bottoms.  After all, your bowl is going to spend most of it’s life resting on it, and it is an important design consideration.  You can even add some fun designs.  Folks might even smile when they … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, cherry, layout, proportions, sketch, Uncategorized, video | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Measuring Beauty?

 The question of measuring beauty — that is objective assessment beyond “Very nice,” “Exquisite,” “This appeals to me” — has troubled scholars and other laymen at least from the time of the Greeks.  And, beginning with the Greek philosophers, there … Continue reading →

Posted in layout, proportions, Uncategorized, video, walnut | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Beyond Words

When I was beginning to make things out of green wood, I purchased a couple VHS tapes from Country Workshops.  One, filmed in the Swiss mountains, follows Ruedi Kohler as his skillful hands make a coopered bucket.  The other takes the viewer … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

A Windfall Goose

I found this stylized goose bowl in the curve of a wind-fallen cherry tree.  Usually, we think of “finding” spoons in the crooks of tree branches, but I occasionally find bowls as well. Grain flowing through the form allows for lightness, … Continue reading →

Posted in bird bowls, books, finding wood, layout, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Books

I have received some emails lately asking for book recommendations, both for bowl/spoon carving and for the decorative carving that I do on some bowls.  Bear with me, and I’ll get around to some recommendations regarding bowl carving as well … Continue reading →

Posted in books, carving, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 4 Comments

The Axe: Your Personal Instrument

In the days when the forests were falling the axe was a personal instrument, a man took pride in its temper and keenness.  Men would say, “That fellow Anderson,–he’s got a wonderful axe.” And somebody else would agree, “Yeah, I … Continue reading →

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Basking in the Sunshine

The plus side of the cold temperatures lately has been beautiful clear sunny skies.  I propped up this cherry bowl in the window to bask in the sunshine and help along the curing of the flax oil.  I do this … Continue reading →

Posted in carving, cherry, holding, layout, patterns, tools, Uncategorized, video | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Hollowing with an Adze

Following up on my last post about adze design, I wanted to share a series of photos that show the procedure for my adze work.  At the stage of the first photo (above), I’ve hewn and hand planed the upper and … Continue reading →

Posted in adze, bowls, holding, layout, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

Paring….continued

I was reminded of this sketch I had done awhile back in response to an emailed question. I thought I’d post it up here as a follow up to last weekend’s post “Prepare to Pare.”  It should be easy to … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments