What do you USE your bowls and hollow forms for, if anything?

[Dave MacArthur]

I find myself looking at the pieces displayed here, and every once in a while I look at it and think I'd be happy to have it as "Art" hanging on the wall or a shelf-- I liked David DeChristoforo's recent platter with a bowl in it that way. Or more correctly, I think, "I'd dedicate house space to display that!"

But MOSTLY, I think to myself, "GREAT bowl! Wonder what you could use that for? Does she serve peanuts in that? Could you rinse that out if it got cracker crumbs in it?"

Does anyone make these bowls and platters for daily use, and use them? I love the wood and the art, but I'm also a HUGE fan of "beauty follows function"-- I see not just beauty but efficiency and economy, and thrift, and wise husbanding of nature's resources, and an admirable closeness with nature, when I see a USEFUL bowl that does something more than just sitting on a shelf with a light shining on it.

No disparagement intended at all, I love the beauty of some of the clearly "display pieces"--but I don't know about you guys, I don't have either the space OR the approval of LOML to start turning art pieces and lay them around on every horizontal surface in the house! I can see I'd reach the end of a lathe's useful life when the house started getting cluttered and I couldn't afford another 3000 sq ft to display all the hollow forms... I could probably talk her into letting me make more cereal bowls, or wide pasta eating bowls, fruit trays, cracker and horse doofer platters. Maybe some bottle stoppers, a couple pens, a salad bowl or three. But I'm sure I'd be tapped out at twenty doo-dads with finials or so when I ran out of space to set them that my 2 year old couldn't reach ;)

So, what if any use do you make of your turnings that is functional, and how do they work? Or do you just find the piece is too beautiful to ruin with use usually, and somehow find more room for it?

Thanks much!

[John Keeton]

Dave, a valid question, but one I wish you hadn't asked!!!:D:confused::o Every now and then, this same thought goes through my head, but I quickly purge the thought and look for another chunk of wood as a diversion!

In the end, I would hope to sell some of my pieces, but I am not sure that will happen, either. Then, there are the five kids, some friends, charity events, strangers on the street........

I sure wish you hadn't brought this subject up!!:o

[Donny Lawson]

I think about this subject from time to time but then as I'm turning the next bowl plate or whatever it is I start to think how nice it is to take a piece of natures wood and making something that will put a smile on someones face.The wood I use would most likely go to the mulch pile and I think it looks much better sitting on a shelf somewhere in someones house and when they have some special event at home that it will bring a special smile or even a "WOW" to that person.Later on in life when I'm gone I hope people will look back at my life and say my Dad or my great Grandfather made that and they can take a good look at it and say one thing.It was made by me in the GREAT USA and not in China somewhere.So sure it may not make me rich but it's a great hobby and it puts a smile on my face everytime a piece comes off the lathe.
Donny

[Terry Quiram]

The ones I have kept for myself are used to catch and store dust which is collected at regualr intervals.:D:D:D

[Gary Herrmann]

My son uses one for snacks. We have odds and ends in another. One of our cats likes to sleep in a third...

[Antonio Martinez]

I keep one on my desk with candy in it. I've sold 3 bowls that way from people who have come in and seen it. I keep a spare bowl in my desk to replace the one that sold off the desk.

Same with the pen in my pocket - I have a duplicate in my desk for when I sell the one in my pocket.

It's my system and it seems to work for the occasional sale - the rest I give away as gifts, etc.

[Fred Perreault]

The bowls, platters, plates and semi-hollow forms I have turned in the past 18 months (over 120 pieces) have been sold, given away, and offered to numerous fund raisers. I have seen tomatos, basil and oil on some platters, snack foods in many bowls, salads in other bowls, meats and cheeses on other plates and platters, and veggies and dip in the deeper trays with a hollowed out center. My wife uses them, as does my daughter, many of her friends and our friends. If treated properly (oiled), wooden serving units could last a very long time. In fact museums are full of these artifacts, and without them our ancestors would have been eating out of their hands, or off of heavy leaves or bark. Most of the items I turn are for utility purposes, but like any other forms of art, such as sculpture, carvings, murals and such, wooden art is more about emotion, aesthetics, expression and appeal.
I don't get very excited about most of my stuff.... although I am proud of the accomplishment..... but I get all worked up when I see the objects coming from Keeton's Korner, and others.
I think folks see numerous qualities in seemingly simple wooden objects.

art

1  http://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/g/d/speaker.gif (http://dictionary.reference.com/audio.html/lunaWAV/A07/A0704700) /ɑrt/ http://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif (http://dictionary.reference.com/help/luna/IPA_pron_key.html) Show Spelled[ahrt] http://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif (http://dictionary.reference.com/help/luna/Spell_pron_key.html) Show IPA
–noun1.the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.


Utility

  http://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/g/d/speaker.gif (http://dictionary.reference.com/audio.html/lunaWAV/U01/U0179200) /yuˈtɪlhttp://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/dictionary/graphics/luna/thinsp.pngɪhttp://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/dictionary/graphics/luna/thinsp.pngti/ http://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif (http://dictionary.reference.com/help/luna/IPA_pron_key.html) Show Spelled [yoo-til-i-tee] http://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif (http://dictionary.reference.com/help/luna/Spell_pron_key.html) Show IPA noun,plural-ties, adjective
–noun
1. the state or quality of being useful; usefulness:

2. something useful; a useful thing.

[Harvey Ghesser]

I'm still rather new to woodturning so whenever I have a success, I (selfishly) like to keep it around and admire. I've given one to my younger son, and now the older one wants one too.

I suspect that in the future, I'll be handing them out to friends and family!

The ones I've finished haven't been done in a bowl safe or food safe manner.

[Joshua Dinerstein]

I use them to hold down the shelves in my basement. Without them who knows where those shelves would get themselves off too. This way everything and everyone is safe! :)

My wife asks me that all the time. Mostly I give them away to friends and family. Not a lot of profit in that game plan but boy I should do have fun in the shop.

Joshua

[Mike Minto]

I use mine fer lookin' at...

[John Keeton]

art

1  http://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/g/d/speaker.gif (http://dictionary.reference.com/audio.html/lunaWAV/A07/A0704700) /ɑrt/ http://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif (http://dictionary.reference.com/help/luna/IPA_pron_key.html) Show Spelled[ahrt] http://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif (http://dictionary.reference.com/help/luna/Spell_pron_key.html) Show IPA
–noun1.the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.


Utility

  http://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/g/d/speaker.gif (http://dictionary.reference.com/audio.html/lunaWAV/U01/U0179200) /yuˈtɪlhttp://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/dictionary/graphics/luna/thinsp.pngɪhttp://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/dictionary/graphics/luna/thinsp.pngti/ http://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif (http://dictionary.reference.com/help/luna/IPA_pron_key.html) Show Spelled [yoo-til-i-tee] http://sp.dictionary.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif (http://dictionary.reference.com/help/luna/Spell_pron_key.html) Show IPA noun,plural-ties, adjective
–noun
1. the state or quality of being useful; usefulness:

2. something useful; a useful thing.
Fred, this sounds like a good lead in for the SMC Art Challenge 2010!! Do you have your entries ready for posting next week???;)

But, of course, that will just be two more items to put somewhere!!!:confused:

Dave, the one thing you have not factored in here is the obsessive addiction to just turn wood with little regard for the obvious consequences of what to do with it!:D But, such is the life of an addict - they rarely consider the consequences of their actions.

Not that I am admitting to anything here - just an observation I have made of others on this forum!:rolleyes::rolleyes:;)

[Rich Greinert]

When these "works of art" start to accumulate I load up the truck and drive around looking for unattended vehicles in parking lots that have been left unlocked then I leave a few in each back seat.

[Frank Van Atta]

--but I don't know about you guys, I don't have either the space OR the approval of LOML to start turning art pieces and lay them around on every horizontal surface in the house!

A common problem. My first solution was to turn smaller pieces - even miniatures - so I could get more pieces in the same space. When that didn't work, I started selling them. That worked fine, and the proceeds are enough to finance my (woodturning) habit. Now I just keep the ones my wife appropriates and a few pieces that I can't bear to part with - maybe 50 or so in all.

There is one ulterior motive in displaying them about the house - those that admire certain pieces provide solid entries in my gifting list.:cool:

[Wally Dickerman]

Well, every member of my fairly large family has a "Wally Collection" of my pieces. Some are at least 40 years old. I've been selling my work since the early 80's. Hundreds of pieces sold, mostly in galleries. That has much more than paid for my lifelong hobby. Nearly everything I turn now goes to a gallery, hopefully to sell.

I had a bit of a comedown a while back. A guy emailed me with a couple of pics of a bowl. He wanted to know if I had turned it. One of the pics was of the bottom, and sure enough, it was signed Wally Dickerman and was dated 1987. At that time I probably had sold it for no more than $100. He had bought it for $5 at an estate sale. He seemed delighted when I identified it as one of mine.

Wally

[David DeCristoforo]

"Use them for"? Um... well... I'm reminded of a Winnie the Poo story (yes, I know them all by heart having read or heard them read to my kids over and over and over...) where he was taking Eyore a pot of "hunny" for his birthday. Of course the hunny never got there but the pot made it intact (and empty). So when Poo gave the pot to Eyore he told him enthusiastically that it was a "useful pot" and never made any mention of the missing hunny.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I do use a lot of my turnings. I have a salad bowl set we have used for a couple of years now along with 6 walnut dinner plates we eat off of. I have several bowls we use to put like mashed potato's, veggies, salad, etc. on the table. When we have company they think that is just to cool. I use Mike Mahoney's walnut oil. We just wash them with warm water and rinse. Dry with a paper towel then let air dry before putting away. Every 12 to 18 months depending on use I re-oil. I do have a lot of turnings on the shelves to collecting dust but hopefully the Art Gallery will start selling a few things. Mike Mahoney told me at a demo every woodturner should have wooden utility items in the kitchen.

[Reed Gray]

Most of my bowls are 'utilitarian' as one potter told me. Since I do shows, I always take mine to the food booths. They do tend to give bigger portions when you bring your own bowl. Plus some of the shows I do focus on zero or reduced waste, so I have chop sticks as well. Reusable. I keep the cracked ones for the wood stove poker, and for bringing in shavings and scraps for starting fires. I do have a few small ones for my guitar picks, stamps, pens and pencils, worn out sanding discs, all sorts of container things for the shop, a couple dedicated to cat toys. Probably others as well.

robo hippy

[bob svoboda]

I like to sell some of my stuff, give some away, and keep some. To be honest, if I never did anything with my turnings other than burn them in the fireplace, I would still keep turning to try and make better firewood than the time before.

[Al Wasser]

Looks like you have gotten a lot of answers -- stuff gets used! All my stuff is usable. I haven't started turning pens cuz they are easy to kipe from the bank, dr., etc. Yes the turned ones are pretty but they don't write any better. I haven't started hollow stuff cuz the tools tools are expensive and then what do you do with those things besides look at them.

Each yr I give the gal that delivers the mail a bowl. Yesterday she decided she wanted some bigger ones and bought two. Someone needs to buy a lot more. Oh well, its fun!

[Wayne Spence]

I think most of us turn for our own satisfaction. A few are professional turners whose living depend on it. I am assuming that if no satisfaction were received they would do something else.

As for usage most of my bowls collect polluted air. It is replaced almost daily by more polluted air. And as a related subject I have about 15 pieces of pottery purchased in the 70's that are used on a weekly or daily basis. They range from mugs to large platters and bowls that are used as center pieces or for holding fruit etc. Do you think the number of bowls being turned will equal the number of clay pots that were thrown during the 60's, 70's and 80's?

For a scholarly approach read Richard Sennett's book "The Craftsman". It is probablly available at Barnes and Noble , you could read it there at the store, or possibly at the public library.

[Dave MacArthur]

Some great replies, I laughed at many of them ;)

Having gone down this road of addictive hobbies several times, and seeing MORE than the usual signs pointing to that road here while I read about turning every night... You can see that my intent here is more "how will I be able to hide the evidence from the wife effectively once I start churning these things out?" than, "is it worth getting a lathe?".

LOL, I've already put in hundreds of hours of reading and study and CraigsList and videos, not only does the vortex seem to have me but I'm already moving up to pre-emptive mitigation strategies ;)

[Mark Burge]

Any of my bowls will hold something, though they won't all hold soup. Some are sitting on the shelf at home, some at my office. There is one that I play with regularly because it rolls really nicely. My sons keep their jacks and marbles in two of my bowls. I have paperclips in one on my desk. The one on the shelf is holding air. The one that I stitched up with wire gets laughed at. The relatives have some. The neighbors have some. Some are sitting in my shop waiting for me to get them looking right. Most don't care if you look at them or if you use them, but they are there for either one.

[Allen Neighbors]

No one has brought up the thought that all hollowforms that are in private collections, yours included, are truly a part of your quest for a healthy lifestyle.
They are very efficient little dust collectors, thereby keeping that small amount of dust out of your lungs. Explain that to your wife, and I'm sure she'll understand the need for more. :D

[Alec Moseley]

I have a great profusion of them scattered around my house, like most of us probably, and appreciate my wife's tolerance each time I bring another one or two in from the shop and she needs to act excited about finding a place for it. But in the last few years I've given away a considerable percentage of my bowls (also other things like pepper mills, boxes, candle holders, pens, and so forth). They make great Christmas presents for in-laws, secretaries and other co-workers, etc., and I've found that the salad bowls I've given as wedding presents have been really appreciated by young couples. My sister-in-law saw one I made for our niece's wedding last year and essentially demanded that I make one for her, which I did for Christmas. We get some wooden salad implements and package them with a handmade bowl and get lots of praise for them. We also eat off or out of a lot of wooden bowls, cracker and dip vessels, platters, etc., in our home.

[Denis Puland]

Hi
A couple of pics of some use I make of my wood stuff.

Denis

I have never posted pics here so hope it works out ok???

[John Keeton]

Denis, not only are those some neat pics, but that is one of the nicest NE pieces I have seen!! Very interesting, and very well done. Thanks!

[Allen Neighbors]

Denis, not only are those some neat pics, but that is one of the nicest NE pieces I have seen!! Very interesting, and very well done. Thanks!

Ditto, what John said!!! So very interesting that I've spent the last few minutes just staring at the pics, and trying to figure out how in the world you did that, Denis. That's amazing!!

[alex carey]

almost as nice as the Natural Edge Cat.

[Frank Van Atta]

No one has brought up the thought that all hollowforms that are in private collections, yours included, are truly a part of your quest for a healthy lifestyle.
They are very efficient little dust collectors, thereby keeping that small amount of dust out of your lungs. Explain that to your wife, and I'm sure she'll understand the need for more. :D

Yeah, that'll fly.

If anybody tries this, let us know how it works out.

[George Morris]

The rule of thumb is if it does not hold water it must be ART!!!

[Jon Lanier]

I work with wood because I really enjoy it. My shop is one of the few places I can go and not think about my 'work.' (I'm a preacher ;))

So, my first priority is to have fun and enjoy seeing a finished product. In my world I don't see that very often. But when done, I can say, "That's done! Next!"

I do try to sell turned and flat work, but I'm not aggressive at that. I think I've given more items away as gifts than sold. But that's okay, as long as I can pay for most of my 'hobby.'

So, when 'stuff' gets piled up... time to go to market to sell... or my wife finds people to give gifts too.

[Richard Madison]

Aesthetic enhancement of our surroundings, for the pleasure in viewing and ownership thereof, sales, gifts to friends, donations to worthy causes, and sometimes to hold stuff like salad, other foods, pencils, and keys. Very handy, but when the house is full it has to go somewhere else.

[Denis Puland]

Allen:
It started as a three branch crotch piece turnned end grain and it was a bit scary at times figuring how to approach it with the gouge. Small bites with a lot of caution. It does look interesting in the photos but in real life it is not so well finished ( A few cracks and such that do not show in the pic). Hence the use as a cat bed:):):)

Denis
PS: I have done a few two and three branch crotches in a similar form but it really is not that much fun and while they generate a lot of comments they do not seem to sell very well.

[Frank Van Atta]

The rule of thumb is if it does not hold water it must be ART!!!

But . . . what if it's a doorstop? . . . or a dibbler? . . . or a tool handle? . . . or a pen . . . or a pendant . . . or . . . well, you get the idea. :D

[Sean Hughto]

I came from the flat woodworking world. I've only been turning since last Fall. Part of my drive in the flat world was to never sacrifice usability and user friendliness for aesthetics. I want chairs that are comfortable, tables that are sturdy, and cabinets that are easy to use and dust etc.

That sort of drive or self-imposed rule of thumb has carried over into turning for me. I tend to be most interested in turning things that can be used and hopefully, will be nice to use. The only things I've really turned so far that are just for sort of looking at are wooden eggs. My bowls, I hope will be used for nuts, fruits, candies, salads, etc.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4532678153_73072937fc.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4452660808_0cfddcd9db.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2724/4228587025_dd5d1cf894.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2700/4207689382_b6e9d730be.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2728/4201582599_f6e6a24532.jpg

[John Keeton]

And, as I commented before Sean, not only did you do a great job on the bowls, but those apples are incredible!!:rolleyes: Almost look real!;):D

[Sean Hughto]

Just trying to show a couple pictures of items that I'd hope get used or as I imagine they might be used.

By the way, I hope someday to be able to make something beautiful enough to qualify as a piece of art that gives joy just in the looking (like so many of you here can). Until then, I'll just struggle to find pleasing curves for utility bowls.

In other words, I have nothing against pieces that just for the looking. It's just not what I've been drawn to make so far. Everyone should follow their own bliss. This is supposed to be fun.

[John Keeton]

Sean, you are far too modest! Your work is very well executed, and that little acorn lidded box is pretty close to art in my book. I know it has a utilitarian purpose, but very nice to look at, as well.

[David Hostetler]

I haven't turned much yet, but what I have turned succesfully I have at least attempted to use...

HF #1. A pecan HF that was finished with lemon oil & bees wax. After the lemon essence finally went away, and no more oil transfer was going on, I got a cork stopper, and am using it as a spice jar holding bulk comino.

Spindle turning #4. Or successful spindle turning #1... Candle holder. Again, pecan...

Bowl #7 or successful bowl #1. (I make a LOT of mistakes). I am using this as a fruit bowl. This one is birch. It's kind of ugly, but at least it didn't shatter...

[David DeCristoforo]

"My bowls, I hope will be used for nuts, fruits, candies, salads, etc..."

Put stuff in them! (Smacks self in head.) Brilliant... Why didn't I think of that?

[Sean Hughto]

David, I think there are many turners who make bowl shapes out of wood with the idea that the result is strictly for show either because it has natural edges, voids, spalt, or is just plain expensive wood with beautiful grain of some sort. All I meant was that I, personally (so far in my novice turning), like to make utility bowls out of nice but fairly ordinary wood like maple, cherry, walnut, and birch. I didn't mean to suggest that putting stuff in them was a novel idea, for goodnes sake.

[David DeCristoforo]

"I didn't mean to suggest that putting stuff in them was a novel idea, for goodnes sake."

Well I didn't mean to sound sarcastic. I just thought it was funny that we have this thread about what to do with things like bowls and platters and the like when it's so obvious once you get around the attitude that we are making some sort of sacred objects that cannot be defiled by being put to such "mundane" use.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I find myself looking at the pieces displayed here, and every once in a while I look at it and think I'd be happy to have it as "Art" hanging on the wall or a shelf-- I liked David DeChristoforo's recent platter with a bowl in it that way. Or more correctly, I think, "I'd dedicate house space to display that!"

But MOSTLY, I think to myself, "GREAT bowl! Wonder what you could use that for? Does she serve peanuts in that? Could you rinse that out if it got cracker crumbs in it?"

Does anyone make these bowls and platters for daily use, and use them? I love the wood and the art, but I'm also a HUGE fan of "beauty follows function"-- I see not just beauty but efficiency and economy, and thrift, and wise husbanding of nature's resources, and an admirable closeness with nature, when I see a USEFUL bowl that does something more than just sitting on a shelf with a light shining on it.

No disparagement intended at all, I love the beauty of some of the clearly "display pieces"--but I don't know about you guys, I don't have either the space OR the approval of LOML to start turning art pieces and lay them around on every horizontal surface in the house! I can see I'd reach the end of a lathe's useful life when the house started getting cluttered and I couldn't afford another 3000 sq ft to display all the hollow forms... I could probably talk her into letting me make more cereal bowls, or wide pasta eating bowls, fruit trays, cracker and horse doofer platters. Maybe some bottle stoppers, a couple pens, a salad bowl or three. But I'm sure I'd be tapped out at twenty doo-dads with finials or so when I ran out of space to set them that my 2 year old couldn't reach ;)

So, what if any use do you make of your turnings that is functional, and how do they work? Or do you just find the piece is too beautiful to ruin with use usually, and somehow find more room for it?

Thanks much!

Dave, I think you make the biggest mistake by starting to ask approval and wanting to decorate the house, It is not your job to do that and you should instead show LOYL the pieces you did make and hand them to LOYL :), if she likes them, she will find the spot or use for them, if not, she might know what to do with it :rolleyes:or even tell you what to do with it :eek:

And yes over the last 50 years I did make many pieces and all family and friends do have pieces I made, some have several, they are used and/or displayed, they decide.

We have several pieces we use and many more just sitting around as part of the decor.

Uses, salad bowls, bread/rolls bowl, coasters candle holders, firewood bowl, fruit knife holder, toothpick holder, serviette ring AKA napkin rings ;), jewelry box, ring watch and bracelet holder, candy dish and lidded nut bowl, etc., and there are more things we use turnings for I'm sure, but I didn't think off right off the top of my head.

Anyway to practice and make all these should keep you busy for a while, especially if you would supply these things for the friends and family I'd think :D

Have fun and take care :)

[Dave MacArthur]

I love the answers, good ones all!

Of course, it's obvious you COULD put nuts and wrapped candy in bowls... but then again, I started thinking that I've only ever see a few photos of bowls actually being used, usually with fruit in them... the most non-damaging thing I can think of almost.

My #1 main hobby and first love is cooking. And I love woodworking. So naturally, I want to make actually usable serving and eating bowls and platters.

But what I DON'T see, and haven't run across anyone talking about before, is a picture of a family eating dinner off some bowls. Soup being eaten out of them. Salads with oily salad dressing. Platters with moo-goo-gai-pan sauce all over them. Plates.. you get the picture. I mean, are all you turners eating medieval style off trenchers and wooden goblets? So I got wondering, maybe you CAN'T actually put any of this type of stuff in the bowls, maybe the surface finish normally used can't stand up to it, maybe the acid of salad dressing stains and ruins pieces, HECK--Maybe the there is no really acceptable food-grade finish the folks normally use!

And then I thought how I only use one set of about 20 pieces of plates/bowls, and it's worked fine for 10 years... and thought that even if turned items WILL serve as eating pieces, I'll fill THAT quota in a month! THEN what do I do with all the stuff that I imagine pouring forth from the lathe?

I'm getting great answers, and funny, and it sounds like just as I suspected, the utility-filling aspect of the lathe expires quickly, then it's hobby/enjoyment/art mostly.

[Jim Maxwell]

An interesting thread. Woodturning was a hobby until about 15 years ago, when I tried unsuccessfully, to make a living from it, making functional bowls plates etc. I got quite bored making functional things and started creating more decorative pieces. The eternal question was "What can I use it for?". My answer was "What do you use the photos and paintings on the wall for?".
Since then I have taken up the challenge of segmental or polychromatic turning. I enjoy the challenge. Many people now come looking for the pieces, no one ever came looking for functional plates and bowls etc. Maybe the functional stuff has been replaced by glass and ceramics? The more decorative wooden artifacts can have a unique function that is admired by many people and does provide some relief from stainless steel, glass and ceramics.
What I do with the pieces I make? I sell them to generate enough income to subsidise my budget and subsidise my habit of woodturning.
Jim

[Scott Hackler]

A lot of good responces. I myself find my personal taste to my future projects, leaning toward the NON-functional. Like hollowforms, bowls with massive holes and anytype of turning that defys the ordinary. The stuff I really like (from myself and others) are things that dont serve any purpose other than a beautiful expression of wood.

I, of course, still turn bowls and many are used as change holders or table center pieces (the 14 1/2" x 9" tall maple bowl I turned is on our dining room table with ornamental wicker balls right now). As of now, I am experimenting with segmenting just to learn a new skill to apply to a future project.....maybe.

Most of all my things are given away as presents and such. I havent "sold" anything and most of my turnings definitedly show an evolution of my turning skills and a little embarrrassment from having my name on a few of them! :) I am a whole lot more particular it the final product now.

[Neil Strong]

1/100 end up at home. Half of them are used as utility bowls and the like. The other half are there for our visual pleasure and that of our visitors.

1/100 get given away as gifts by us, and the recipients are probably still trying to figure out what to use them for... :)

98/100 pieces sell through galleries, so not sure what the buyers use them for... many are probably bought as gifts, and the recipients are still trying to figure out what to use them for... :rolleyes:

.....

[Richard Madison]

Good answer Neil.