I refer to this piece as an Offering Bowl. The exterior is organic and irregular while the interior is smooth and welcoming. Working with Manzanita is a journey with so much to discover. This why I love developing Manzanita pieces. The bark intrusions, insect damage, root and branch connections add character to each Manzanita piece. I spend a lot of time looking at each root ball to determine the form I can unlock from the raw material. I believe Michelangelo said it is the role of the sculptor to free the human form from within the stone. The size of Offering Bowl is 7 inches in diameter by 2.25 inches high.
Process
Manzanita root burls are the most beautiful woods I work with. Every burl has a unique character. In the natural raw state it is really ugly. Experience has lead me to a theory that the uglier the wood the more interesting the interior structure. It is literally a physical battle to shape a Manzanita Bowl, but the final results are well worth it. As I struggle with each piece I swear that I will not work with the wood again. But upon completion the unique beauty of the wood is apparent. No doubt that I will continue to make art with this wood.
I purchase this exotic wood from a California logger who is licensed to harvest Manzanita after a wildfire has destroyed a forest. Rightfully so, Manzanita is a protected species as there is a limited supply of this material. It is expensive and highly sought after.
Offering Bowl shown here features the challenges in working with Manzanita. There are bark inclusions and voids that become dangerous projectiles as they fly off a spinning lathe.
Here is another Manzanita piece Volcano Crater
Studio
I design and produce all of my work in Montvale, New Jersey, USA. Every piece will provide years of enjoyment.
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