An experiment: Critique

[Bodrighy]

I have four logs of hawthorn, all of which have the middle rotted out. They are crying out for something to be done with them. This is my first attempt. Critique, ideas, etc etc all welcome.

The outer rim is sanded and polished, the inside of the log has been cleaned and wire brushed to get rid of all loose stuff and ten lightly polished. The little sycamore bowl is floating in the middle, not on the floor. It is attached by it's rim to the underside of the protrusion on the one side.
The 2nd image is looking directly down on it.



Pete

 

[Paul.J]

Looks good Pete.
How about cutting a true circle out the middle and fitting a larger bowl so it sits in the hole,leaving plenty of the log rim showing :?: :?:

 

[Bodrighy]

I have another couple of the logs Paul so I may do something like that. With this one I wanted the contrast between the log and the polished inner bowl.

Pete

 

[Kalimna]

If another piece has a more oval-ish centre hole, then an eye could possibly be formed with something making up the iris/pupil parts? Im thinking Eye of Sauron here.

Are they too small to make an unusual picture frame/mirror?

Or, taking your original idea a little further, perhaps bowl-out the inner (is that the correct term) a little, and suspend a bowl over the centre with tensioned wires?

Please note, I have no idea how these suggestions may be accomplished. They are just ideas......

I love the look of your bowl-in-the-middle as it is, however

Cheers.
Adam

 

[Bodrighy]

Thanks Adam,

I like the eye idea, the hawthorn is about 9" outside diameter and inside varies from log to log. Could be a frame of some sort but not too sure about a picture frame myself. I originally thought of suspending this one on a wire but it was turned thin and would have been too fragile A possibility for another one though

Pete

 

[SVB]

I like your treatment of this Pete.

Perhaps you could further work this piece or another by leaving a circa 1" vertical lip but turning the base to a bowl type shape reflecting the inner bowl.

This may give the piece a little more 'grace', it looks a little heavy at the moment.

This would preserve the contrast you have got at the moment.

Either way, nice work.

S

 

[The Shark]

That looks fantastic, Pete :lol:

I really like the contrast between the smooth well finished inner bowl and the natural outer log!

Sorry, having "writer's block" with regard to further pieces.

Malc :lol:

 

[skeetoids]

Pete,

I've been coming back and looking at this piece for a while and my honest advice is this:

Leave it as it is!

I think it's really excellent mate, I love the fact that you've got a little bowl sitting right in the middle of a tree! That for me IS the idea.

I've not seen anything else like it, the contrast between the 2 pieces is excellent and it just looks ace in my eyes.

Well done P!

Cheers,

Lee.

 

[mark sanger]

Hi Pete

It is very nice indeed. The only thing I would change and it is personal taste, is that I would lose the bead on the inner bowl. For me the piece is very organic and a smooth curve of the inner bowl without the bead would make it connect back into the outer organic area. It is if the inner bowl does not quite blend with the outer harmoniously. I would either have the inner bowl totally pure with no decoration, or go totally the other way and texture and gold leaf it. The bead is part way for me.

Just my preference.


But despite my pickyness. I like it very much.

Take care

Mark

 

[mark sanger]

Hi Pete

I have had another thought. What would really, perhaps, may be, make it look connected would be to have a natural edge bowl with the bark included. This would then really keep the organic theme running right the way through.

Or perhaps, cut/shape the rim and scorch it with a pyrography wire.

Just another few possibilities to play around with. Don;t know what they would look like. But you never know.

take care

Mark

 

[Bodrighy]

Thanks for all the input.

The bead was there as originally I was gong to have the bowl suspended on a wire both sides so that it could rotate and be stood on end or flat. I needed the bead to drill though I could carve most of it away and leave two flanges to do that. I like the idea of a natural edged bowl. I have another two, possibly three of these hollow logs so will do a series and make each one a bit different. have to think of a name for them though. Series always seem to have names :lol:

Keep the ideas and critique coming, it all helps me to focus and think in different ways.

Pete

 

[CHJ]

As I mentioned elsewhere, I can see a Sue generated critter peering out of one of these pieces.

 

[Bodrighy]

Maybe a dragon's nest? :lol: I'll ask her and see if she has any ideas.

Pete