Red Mallee HF w/Finial Critique Requested

[BILL DONAHUE]

Bought a red mallee blank and decided to make a southwest Indian pottery form. Finally getting back to the lathe after a two month hiatus due to being very busy at work (investment advisor) and fishing every weekend. After getting it mostly finished I decided the burl was so attractive I'd put a pedestal under it to get it off the surface so more of it was visable. The pedestal made a finial necessary to top it off. The finished product is 7 1/2" wide X 11 7/8" high, finished with danish oil. The finial and pedestal are bucote with an ebony stain and both are two pieced. Sanded to 800 grit. Had to do three finials and three pedestals before I had enough. Tried to get the pedestal slightly thicker than the finial to give it some upward motion or lift. The finial is a tight fit and those with good eyes may notice that I didn't have pushed on all the way on the left side. Your comments are welcome. Thanks.

[Scott Hubl]

Very Nice.

Beautiful woods too.

[David Hostetler]

For starters the HF itself is amazing. I absolutely love the color, form, and figure of the piece... This should be in a gallery somewhere.

The finial and stand on the other hand, and this is merely MY opinion, and I have been known to be wrong, just ask my wife... but I think the stand / finial detract from the HF. While they are nice, they just seem to switch gears style wise... Overall the combination of the HF and the finial / stand seems disjointed to me.

[robert hainstock]

a realy nice piece Bill. I'm sure there will be some critiques, but none come to my mind. it all fits very well together. and I suspect you will be the most critical of it. Great form and finish. :D:D:D
Bob

[Mike Minto]

Wow, me like! Beautiful work - how long did you spend on it, all told? Thanks for sharing, and giving us something to strive for! Mike

[Jeff Nicol]

Bill, It has a great shape and the color of red mallee is hard to beat! The pedestal and finial look very nice. Like any thing there might be some little things one might do, but not sure what it would be! You can be proud of this one.

Jeff

[Steve Schlumpf]

Bill

First off - congrats on being busy at work! More importantly - congrats on being able to go fishing every weekend! Hope you are catching lots!

Your hollow form is very interesting!

Probably no big surprise that I really like the Southwest portion - beautiful wood, form and finish on that. I understand the reasoning behind the pedestal/finial - but I am not sure they all work together as a package. To my untrained eye, the piece, with the addition of the pedestal and finial, becomes exceptionally complex with curves running everywhere. Each of the 3 pieces - HF, pedestal, finial - are all very nicely turned but combined seem lack the flow I would hope to see in a finished turning.

Please understand that the last Art class I took was in kindergarten and while it has served me well over the years - I may not be the best qualified to offer advice on form. Hopefully someone with more experience will step forward!

[alex carey]

That wood is absolutely beautiful, great job.

[Richard Madison]

The only part that seems a bit mismatched is the sort of dome top (between the hf and the finial). A somewhat lower profile on this one piece might be better. Still a gorgeous piece in all respects.

My art class was in seventh grade, and I vaguely remember being more interested in the girl at the next table than I was in art. Wish I had paid more attention to the art.

[Wally Dickerman]

Bill, I really like this piece. Your form on the vessel is very good. I've found that finials and pedestals are very touchy to get right. I'm going to nit pick these a bit. The lid appears to me to be a bit heavy. Instead of a rounded dome I'd like a cove cut to make the lid thinner. I think that most of us who do finials tend to make them a bit on the heavy side. The forms that you've used are very good. I'd just like to see them a bit thinner. A finial IMO should have an almost fragile look.

All in all, a very nice piece.

Wally

[Bernie Weishapl]

Bill that is a great HF and the wood is really beautiful. If it were me I would lose the pedestal and make the finial shorter and more delicate. IMHO your HF needs neither. All are well done but just don't flow for me.

[David Christopher]

Bill, thats beautiful.....I would like it with or without the pedistal