SMC Art Challenge 2010 - Jeff Nicol

[Jeff Nicol]

Here are my 2 pieces for the art challenge, had to get them done before the deadline! The utility piece is a nice bowl turned from spalted Red maple, 11 1/4" x 3 1/2" natural danish oil finish buffed to a soft sheen. The art piece is a Spalted Hard Maple burl with voids and bark 12 1/2" x 8 1/2" with a vine "Growing" through it, I call it "JUNGLE SURVIVOR" it is also finished with danish oil and buffed out a bit. The total height is 39" and the base is 12x7 and is self supporting. I think it is fun!

More pics in another post.

Jeff

[Jeff Nicol]

Here are some of the art piece alone and random bowl pics.

Jeff

[John Keeton]

Jeff, can't count the number of times I have sat in a treestand and wondered - "how in the world did that grapevine do that!!" This piece is really, really outside the box!! Very interesting wood, as well.

The bowl is just a classic piece on its own - beautifully done!

[David E Keller]

Nicely done on both, but the art piece is phenomenal. I love the creativity and the way it stands... It doesn't look like it should stand up which adds to the overall look. Great job.

[Tom Sherman]

Love em both Jeff the art piece is totally awesome, never seen one like it.

[Richard Madison]

Pretty cool art piece even (especilly?) without the grape vine. Nice yard.

[Jeff Nicol]

I picked up the vine a month or so ago at my Dad's place and thought it was great looking in the "S" shape. As I was finishing the hollowing on the burl the openings in the side got bigger and bigger, that is when I saw the vine hanging there and it just clicked in my head to make it look like the vine had grown through it! I have lots of great artsy ideas in my head but they get lost sometimes and are hard to get to the surface! The vine is kind of springy so it kind of bounces around when moved.

The beautiful yard is all my wife's doing, I put on the lime and fertilizer and she keeps all the weeds out and she loves mowing too! Her garden in the back ground is growing like crazy too! We have been eating fresh beans a few times a week and lots of cherry tomatos too. She has a big green thumb, and I love veggies!

Thanks for all the kind words, now if I can find someone who needs a bouncy vine thing for there collection!

Jeff

[Richard Madden]

Both pieces are great. The bowl looks like it wants to be used and the art piece...just wants to be looked at. Excellent work!!

[Roland Martin]

WOW!!! Now that is something you don't see every day, or ever:). This is "ART", how could it be anything but! Your imagination and obvious talent has really come through on this piece. How many times did you sharpen your gouge through this to keep this together:eek:? I love the character in that burl, fits perfectly with the vine idea. The utility bowl is a very good looking piece also. An extremely well done example of Art/Utility. Thank you very much Jeff for joining in the challenge and posting these amazing turnings.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I am like the rest and can only say Wow. Really nice pieces Jeff.

[Mark Hubl]

Both are wonderful. Love the bowl, nice classic shape. The art piece is awesome. Voids like that just scare the heck out of me. Very cool.

[Baxter Smith]

Nice pieces. The bananna hanger is definitely an eyecatcher! I need to get up the nerve to try one of those half air pieces.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Well now that's an original! Pretty cool idea for a stand! Great chunk of burl! All the voids really add to the character of the piece! Nice work Jeff!

Really good looking bowl! Classic in every way!

Nice work on both turnings! Thanks for participating in the Challenge!

[Michael James]

Jeff,
One piece dead ctr "in the box", and one "elsewhere".
Beautiful work as usual. Good luck buddy!
mj

[Tim Rinehart]

I must say, I was about to comment had someone else not done so...the pieces are very nice, and I now know what to do with some grapevine that runs off trees in my yard.

Yep...nice yard. Haven't had one of those in a while...kind of a pre-vortex sort of thing I expect. Wife and I haven't wanted to do diddly with our yard this year especially, as hot as it's been. Fortunately...you can't see our grass from the road.

[Jeff Nicol]

WOW!!! Now that is something you don't see every day, or ever:). This is "ART", how could it be anything but! Your imagination and obvious talent has really come through on this piece. How many times did you sharpen your gouge through this to keep this together:eek:? I love the character in that burl, fits perfectly with the vine idea. The utility bowl is a very good looking piece also. An extremely well done example of Art/Utility. Thank you very much Jeff for joining in the challenge and posting these amazing turnings.
Roland, It was a joy turning this wild burl piece. It was very solid and stayed together well throughout the process. I did most of the inside with a big solid carbide cutter from and industrial cutter head, the cutter is about 1" square and I was able to grind an arc on one side to get it cutting very nicely! Then used a big homemade scraper to finish the inside, and lots of hand sanding on the outside to get rid of any tool marks etc.

I like to do the scary pieces, but show no fear to anyone who wants to try a piece like this. The only thing that can happen is it flys apart, so keep a good eye on the process and check the blank often to make sure it is staying together. Keep the CA and duct tape handy!

Thanks to all,

Jeff

[charlie knighton]

very nice, your different angles on the outside bowl i like

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Pretty cool art piece even (especilly?) without the grape vine. Nice yard.

I second that, well done !!

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Jeff,
Great stuff. The grape vine looks like it grew there. I really like the utility bowl. The collar and treatment of the base make it unique. Pretty piece of wood.
fmr

[Harvey Ghesser]

Beautiful work, Jeff! I love both pieces. Although with the burl piece, (just for a fleeting moment!) I wondered how you could turn it with those vines coming out of it! But it works!:D