ABOUT THE VESSELS
I made my first vessel around 2006. An arborist had cut down this monstrous ash tree and donated it to Urban Hardwoods, where I have my studio. It was old, rotten, and covered with growths and holes-evidence of limbs that had rotted away years before. One of the holes was perfectly symmetrical, just big enough for me to get my hand in. I scooped out the rich compost, peered inside, and fell in love with this sculpted space that took decades to form.
I shaped the outside first with my saws, then with my carving tools, and finally with my big lathe. The hole become the mouth of a smooth, symmetrical ball that was wildly figured with burls and knots - a perfect cradle for the secret space i discovered in the log yard. It was unlike anything i'd ever done before. I couldn't wait to do another.
Each vessel is a quiet love affair. Wood for these creations is rare, and no two vessels are the same. Each tells a story about the nature of things - growth and decay, inner beauty and outer, collaborations between nature and humans. Just like any other love affair; When you find the right one for you, you'll know.