Carved Bowls: A Sampling

When time and materials allow, I enjoy carving bowls. One of the great things about bowl carving today is that they don't really have to be functional, since most wooden bowls today are used only as decoration. This allows a certain freedom to the carver, which I admit to enjoy. 

Here's a quick sample of three bowls I've done so far in 2014:

Top view. The live edge is visible around the rim and along the top of the handles

This traditional Scandinavian style bowl with intrinsic handles is made from solid cherry. The live edge has been left on the face and its been finished with Danish Oil. 

Side view with the Madoc Market Square in the background

 Crotch-figure in the wood can be seen in the top left of the bowl above

Bowl? Tray? I don't really know, but I do know that this large decorative piece is made from a solid piece of silver birch and has some beautiful crotch-figure at one end. The bark has been left on and secured to the wood. Sunlight makes this bowl light up wonderfully.

The bark can be seen around the edged. It covers the entire bottom naturally. 

Top down shot showing the branch "stripe" through the middle

Bowl carving is just better when you can exercise a bit of freedom in design. This bowl shows off a pedestal style bottom and a branch inclusion really sets it off. made from solid poplar the cut of the bowl follows a tree branch all the way through from one side to the others. A bit of spalting on one end adds a final natural accent. 

The profile shot. High gloss finish makes this one hard to photograph well in direct sunlight.

Unlike most of the things I make, bowl like this are truly one of a kind. Each one is dependant on both the characteristics of the piece of wood as well as the mood and inclination of the carver for its form. I likely won't get to posting every bowl separately here, but I will try to get some up from time to time. 

However, all of my in stock bowls can be viewed (and purchased) weekly at the Marmora Farmer's Market on Saturdays or the Madoc Market on Fridays, at least until the end of August. I will be putting up a fall schedule soon.