SMC Art Challenge 2010 – Dennis Ford

[Dennis Ford]

My utility entry is a beech salad bowl, it is 12-1/2" wide and 4-1/4" tall. It is finished with one coat of Mahoney's walnut oil and waxed with bee's wax. I left the wall just under 1/2" thick so it should be very durable.

My "art" entry is a two piece unit. The base is spalted sweet gum turned on two axis. The vessel is river birch with copper wire/pine needles around the rim. The somewhat crude buffalo is a very shallow relief carving darkened with shoe polish. The finish is lacquer knocked down to "flat" with steel wool.

[Mark Hubl]

Outstanding. I really like both these pieces. The utility bowl is wonderful with the carved handles and feet. Nice.

The art piece is quite unique, love the multi-axis and the metal. Good job.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dennis,

I like the uniqueness of both of your entries!

Very well done, Sir!

[David E Keller]

Great work. There's nothing crude about the buffalo in my opinion. I wish you had some photos of the base being turned as I'm having trouble visualizing the process. The utilitarian piece is very attractive. overall, that's an outstanding entry you've put together.

[John Keeton]

Dennis, it is so refreshing to see various mediums used in woodturnings!! Really a nice treatment with the carving, the copper lacing and the pine needles.

The salad bowl is very well done. The carved feet, and the relieved lip on the rim really add to the interest level.

[Jeff Nicol]

Dennis, I too love the fact that you went with other mediums in your art creation, I have always liked the use of copper with wood too! Your bowl is right on the money, simple elegance with just a flair of art and whimsy in it. It just prooves utility does not have to be bland!

Great job,

Jeff

[Tim Rinehart]

Dennis,
Both pieces are wonderful...and the lip on the salad bowl is a great feature, as are the feet.

I really like the art piece. Makes me think about some integration of N. American petroglyph art I'm considering on a piece. I have only one comment regarding the copper...it looks nice, but takes away from the 'old' look of the piece. I would love to either see a heavier hammered looking piece of copper, or something else, like thin leather lace perhaps. It would require larger holes, likely, but would have been my choice.

I think the piece is still exceptionally well done...would love to see how you did the base for that tilted axis....whew! Expect a bit of hand/mechanical carving involved there.

[Baxter Smith]

Great looking art piece. I love the base. Beautiful utility bowl as well!

[charlie knighton]

very nice, i am partial to buffalos :D

[Tom Sherman]

Dennis I can't really add to the kudo's already given. But I can say that I like em and you have done well.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

I like the handles on the utility bowl. It's fun to see skills mixed, especially turning and carving. The art piece is also very cool. I like the buffalo and the wrapping around the circumference. They compliment each other. Good luck in the challenge.
fmr

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I really like the bowl, very nicely done, and I like the "cup in a hand" art piece, quite nice and different with the added extras, very nice :-))

[Roland Martin]

Both pieces are unique and very well executed. The salad bowl is great with the handles & feet. The art piece is entirely well done. I especially like the cradle, the double axis and the precise fit to the cup. Thanks for joining in and posting your beautiful work.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Dennis - both of your entries are exceptional! Absolutely love the salad bowl! Great form!

Very interesting idea for your art entry! Really like how the holder is offset. Totally unexpected! Thanks for sharing!

[David DeCristoforo]

I really like the "utilitarian" salad bowl. Especially the "integrated" handles. That's very cool. I'm "on the fence" with the other one, only in the sense of subjective personal taste. It is absolutely unique and unusual and obviously displays a high level of technical expertise. I'm not at all sure I could make something like that nor am I sure I would want to. But it is very different and that alone is refreshing.

[Terry Achey]

Dennis, really like the "Tatonka" piece. ..... well done and refreshingly different.

Terry

[dan carter]

Nicely done. The base is done very well. Good job.

[Frank Van Atta]

Two great pieces. I especially like the off-center holder.