Tag Archives: walnut bowl

Back to the Hens

Posted on April 17, 2020 by

I remember first seeing The Serenity Prayer on a trivet that hung on my grandmother’s kitchen wall: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know … Continue reading →

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

Knotty Story

Posted on March 22, 2020 by

This tale from my isolated workshop is actually quite tame compared to Boccaccio’s famous ones from the 14th Century told by a group of friends isolating themselves in an Italian villa; unfortunately timely circumstances. Amid the adjustments to the ever … Continue reading →

Posted in adze, bowls, layout, nature, quotes and excerpts, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

Fluted Walnut Bowl

Posted on October 26, 2019 by

After making many bowls, I’m still thrilled by the prospect of shaping a rough chunk of log into a finished bowl.  The just-finished walnut bowl in the two photos above began with flattening the bottom and fairing the upper surface … Continue reading →

Posted in adze, axe, quotes and excerpts, tools, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

Rooftop Bird with 12/12 pitch

Posted on February 12, 2019 by

It’s been a couple years since I wrote this post about a bowl orientation I call a rooftop bowl.  In it, I discussed working with this type of blank and suggested experimenting with quarter-log splits and other angles.  Of course, … Continue reading →

Posted in bird bowls, bowls, finding wood, holding, layout, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged , , , | 23 Comments

The Three Stages

Posted on April 7, 2018 by

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

Walnut Necklace

Posted on March 15, 2018 by

I just finished the carving on this walnut bowl.  I snapped a few photos while carving the “necklace” around the rim.  But first, a point about gouges: One gouge can be pretty versatile, depending on how you use it.  You … Continue reading →

Posted in carving, patterns, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged , | 22 Comments

Putting the Wood in the Driver’s Seat

Posted on February 26, 2018 by

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

Sighting the Lines

Posted on October 8, 2016 by

We’re all familiar with the idea of sighting down the length of a board to check for straightness of line.  It is amazing how well our eyes can pick up even slight deviations in the flow of a line when … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, layout, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Do Justice, Love Kindness, Walk Humbly

Posted on April 25, 2016 by

I recently completed this commission for the congregation of a California church.  They wished to honor their minister’s ten years of leadership with a bowl featuring their church motto, Micah 6:8.  It is a beautiful verse.  I was happy to play a … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, holding, Lettering, quotes and excerpts, sketch, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

The Patience of Trees

Posted on November 7, 2015 by

Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. — Hal Borland, Countryman: A Statement of Belief, 1965 As the oil began to reveal the rich variations in each growth ring, I found myself thinking about the tree from which this bowl … Continue reading →

Posted in bowls, green woodworking, trees, Uncategorized, walnut | Tagged , | 9 Comments