Out side of my comfort zone - WAY out

[Toney Robertson]

Thought I would try something new. I have never been a fan of altering anything but the basic shape of wood and that would especially apply to color. So why in the world I decided to do this should definitely be left up to a shrink!! :D

I am not even sure I like it.

Do you? Unvarnished opinions wanted.

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj101/iublue/IMG_3576.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj101/iublue/IMG_3579.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj101/iublue/IMG_3582.jpg

Toney

[Fred Belknap]

I'm speechless:)
Fred

[Ryan Baker]

Actually, I think that is kinda cool. Wouldn't suit everyone's style, but I bet it would sell pretty fast. Is the base carved wood or what? Can't really tell. Is that copper wire running up the sides?

[Skip Spaulding]

I like it! Great to see something a little (or maybe a lot) different. How about a some information on how you finished it etc.
Skip

[Dennis Ford]

I think you are progressing towards a great piece if you continue with this idea. I don't care for the knarly base section myself but copper and wood look good together, let the copper show.

[Jeff Nicol]

I think it has just enough of the eerie and darkness to it to be a great piece for Halloween! We never advance without trying something new! It has potential and I like the gnarly stem!

Jeff

[Bernie Weishapl]

I like it. Looks good to me.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Toney,
It is not my style but I can see where there are a lot of folks who would love it. I bet it will sell.

[charlie knighton]

very nice, did you plan it before or sort of go with the flow?????

[Ken Glass]

Toney,
I am waiting for the thing that hatched from your form to re-appear. I really like it. It is unique and interesting. I also believe it will be a conversation piece and a great seller for you, if you so choose.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Toney - I've looked at this a few times now and each time I come back to it I see something different. Isn't that what art is supposed to be all about - different things to different folks? This works as is but I can see where you have opened a door to a lot of possibilities! Pretty cool!

Looking forward to seeing more of your work!

[Ron Bontz]

This would look great in a contemporary home. I like it.:)

[David E Keller]

Love the base but for some reason I'm not sure about the top... Overall, I think I like the piece. I wonder what it would look like if you had the same thick sculpted tentacle coming up around the wood like you did at the foot. Just my thoughts

[Eugene Wigley]

Toney, I like it. It is a nice mixture of materials that seem to work well together. I would like to know more about the piece. Type of wood, size, finish. I like the copper and the black finish.

[John W Dixon]

I really like this as well. I think this may be out of a lot of our comfort zones. But it definitely elicits reactions and I think all good art does that. It may be finished or it could be a work in progress that you develop further. Either way I think you did a nice job.

John

[Colin MacDiarmid]

I really like this well done

[Norm Zax]

Bizarre, yet inspiring. Nice job on an extreme. I'd give the inner bowl a reddish glow. Looks like the leg is the sum of the decending wires with some soldering material dripped all over.
Norm

[Hilel Salomon]

It may or may not be outside of your comfort zone, but it certainly lies well within your talent zone. I don't normally go for that, but it has tremendous charm!!
Hilel.

[John Keeton]

I am just about as boring and traditional as they come. My comfort zone lies just south of the morning paper, sunrise, and a cup of coffee.

However, this piece rises above the crowd. It is creative, evokes emotion, and requires a talent beyond just woodturning.

If the question is - do I like it? No. It just ain't me. But, without doubt it is superb art. I think Steve is right - it draws one back, and makes one ask questions. It is unique and I think it is marketable.

[Rob Cunningham]

It's not my style, but I think it's really cool. I can picture it in an art gallery.

[Curt Fuller]

I am just about as boring and traditional as they come. My comfort zone lies just south of the morning paper, sunrise, and a cup of coffee.

However, this piece rises above the crowd. It is creative, evokes emotion, and requires a talent beyond just woodturning.

If the question is - do I like it? No. It just ain't me. But, without doubt it is superb art. I think Steve is right - it draws one back, and makes one ask questions. It is unique and I think it is marketable.
Ditto!
I look forward to seeing the finished product though.

[Scott Lux]

I don't even know where to start. Great form, great textures, good colors.
I like it. I'm thinking there's some guy/gal dressed in black with heavy eye makeup who really wants this. They just haven't seen it yet.

[mike holden]

Tony,
I like it!
And my preferred woodworking is Queen Anne Style.

As far as critiquing it, well, I would like to see a smoother finish to the black, and the base is a bit small.

Very creative, and worth exploring.
I would think trying it in earth tones would be appropriate.

Mike

BTW, re: being out of your comfort zone? Michaelangelo was out of his comfort zone when he did the Sistine Chapel - you may have heard of it, yes? (grin)

[George Morris]

I like it also could we get more info on how and what material you used? G

[alex carey]

hmm, im unsure what to think, my initial reaction is that it looks medieval. I'm not big on the picture but if I had seen it in real life I think my opinion might be entirely different.

[Stephen Saar]

I'm not sure what I think about the piece, but your workmanship is fantastic. On one hand I like the piece, but I feel that it would get old pretty quickly, but still the idea, and execution are fantastic. I'm glad you made something like this, it helps make me think about things I want to build and trying new ideas.

One question is what is the base made out of?

Thanks for sharing.

-Stephen

[curtis rosche]

i like it. if there was one thing i could change about it though, the only thing i would change would be the base, it look a little to busy down at the bottom.
that is so cool. keep doing it

[John Shuk]

I like it. I'm not sure if keeping the inside of the bowl au natural is the best choice or not but I like the form and carving is nice. You pulled off the coloration very well and it should at the very least be a starting point.
All in all it took quite a bit of skill to pull this off. Your next pieces will be better for it.

[Fred Morton]

Yeah, yeah... That's art. Now we need to come up with a fancy artsy name for it. How about Broken Egg on a Chicken Leg? ;);)
Seriously, I really like it. Good job.

Fredo :D

[Tom Lewis]

I can see that piece taking first place in an art show.

[Toney Robertson]

Thanks to all for the comments.

My thought was to make it look like the tree had started to encompass the wooden bowl. I think I will try this concept again. Hey Steve, maybe make a series of it!!:D

I will try to address some the questions asked.

I turned the top and then put a 1/2" recess in the bottom with a fornster bit. I then took 12 and 14 gauge copper wire and put them around a piece of #4 copper wire. I used worm clamps to hold it together and started soldering (Norm got it right). I twisted the wire for the roots and wrapped extra wire around the base to increase it in size, more like a natural tree. I then built the base up even more with solder by heating the solder and letting it drip onto the piece.

I then painted the wire base by itself. My original concept was to leave the bowl entirely natural with only black wire running up the bowl. I took a dremel and made grooves up the bowl for the wires. After painting the base I epoxied it to the bowl and glued the wires into the bowl. I finally painted the whole outside and then took the dremel with a sanding drum to uncover the copper wire and distress the base.

The paint I used was hammered paint so the uneven appearance is due to that. I do plan to clear coat the bowl and see how that looks.

When I started it I thought what the heck, the most I am out is some time, solder, a little copper wire and a free piece of wood.

I hope I answered all your questions.

Toney

[Rick Flink]

It's ugly as sin, but I think it's one of the coolest pieces I've seen because of its uniqueness. I almost think I would buy it if I could find the right setting for it.

You have a great imagination and the talent to illustrate your imagination. Very nice job! :D

Rick (mtgrizzly52)

[Jarrod McGehee]

It's great for ghoulish goodness on Halloween but aside from that, IMO it's Ugly. you asked for honesty so I'm just saying how I feel. Like John Keeton said, "it invokes emotion" not necessarily that that's good but everyone has a different style and preference. That's mine.

[kevin loftus]

I love it Toney, well done.:cool:

[Jon McElwain]

Sorry so many don't like it! The piece intrigues me and shows some work outside of the traditional form. I like to see new ideas worked out. In particular I like the incorporation of various materials, and I think the natural edge rim very well suits the form. The form is well proportioned.

Two critiques:

1) I'd clean up the copper on the sides of the bowl. Make sure there is no paint on it and perhaps even polish the copper - really make it stand out.

2) Where you built up next to the copper on the bowl, make it thicker at the bottom of the bowl and thinner at the top. Add a few more kinks bends and branches to obtain an even stronger tree appearance.

I'd encourage you to continue to explore the form until YOU like it!