Stormy Winter Night - Done!

[John Keeton]

Finished up this one! Well...sort of - not totally happy with the build of finish on the burl portion, so it will get a couple more coats of finish. Most of you saw this one in the WIP thread, so no real surprises here. 7.5" tall x 5.5" wide. Claro Walnut, Big Leaf Maple burl and holly in the neck.

I learned a lot with this one - first beading with my new tools, first pyro work, first dye work with the Copic pens, and a good lesson on what not to "set" the dye with! I used a UV resistant acrylic spray, and the dyes bled a little. Not really noticeable unless you look for it. But, they were so crisp before the application - kind of disappointing.

Ended up dying the inside of the neck to get rid of the white holly and to make it appear more as a basket weaving on the outside.

There were a lot of helpful comments in the previous thread, and I have taken all of those to heart - there will be more of this type of turning!! But, I will admit ahead of time - I don't feel constricted to making these things "exactly" a replication of any particular style. I am just turning what appeals to me, but do hope others get some satisfaction from viewing it. If I just do what has been done before, then I don't see much to be gained. The form, however, will evolve, and hopefully improve.

The "glyphs" on this one portray the title. The two lines at the bottom represent earth, the band at the top - a night sky. The inverted steps are clouds, and the "dots" are snow - thus, Stormy Winter Night. Also, the weather conditions when I did the sketch and came up with the idea!!!:D

[Steve Schlumpf]

Well that sure is an interesting piece! Lots to view and a lot of texture to take in! I like it! Nice work on the beading and color! Sure is different!

Love the burl! Looking forward to seeing where this dye/ burn/ color experiment is going to lead you!

Nice work John! Thanks for sharing!

[Tony De Masi]

I like this one alot John. As Steve said, lots to take in but not too busy. Just one question though. Where is the finial?

[Scott Hackler]

Well that looks A LOT better with the treatment of the holly. The dying and beading effect looks neat and is something that I can see you pursuing on another piece. I am still just so-so on this piece but nice job none the less.

[Jim Burr]

WOW...what a difference! I still want to know how you did the bottom and "top" claro parts, but overall I'd say very nice result :D:cool:

[Alan Trout]

I see them beading tools really do work! well done.

Alan

[tom martin]

Very nice John! I like the form and am really impressed with the beading-very nice effect. How did you color them?
thanks,
Tom

[Larry Marley]

Nice John!
You have officially set the hook!
I have to try this...
one of these days

[Mike McAfee]

There's just nothing about this piece I DON'T like! Beautiful form, finish and wood choices!

MMc

[Robert Culver]

I like this one alot John. As Steve said, lots to take in but not too busy. Just one question though. Where is the finial?


Ahhhh,,, But there is a final on this piece John was just very clever and made it look like a Neck with beads.... Great looking piece I really like it.:)

[Fred Belknap]

John you did a really nice job on that. The finishing and beading and the coloring is top notch. However to my untrained eye it lacks appeal to me. I just can't put my finger on what it is. It may be the beading around the top. It kinda looks like there is a secrete code embedded in there somewhere. Maybe if the neck flowed into the vase a little better.
John don't pay me no mind I'm sure not an expert.:o

[Ron Stadler]

Wow, I really like it, actually I was gonna ask where you got the color rope for it but then read your post and realized these are beads, well I think you did and excellent job of coloring them and think it all goes well with this piece, would love to try this sometime myself further into my turning experience.

[Roger Chandler]

Interesting piece for sure..............a lot of different techniques going on with this one. Pretty wood, execution of design is first rate, and a piecing together of different parts of the form make for a lot of work.

Nicely done John! Something different, yet I'm sure challenging to you as well. I think you feed on the challenge of doing something new and different.......things that you have seen and admired as well, it seems to inspire you to go in a direction not done by you before. I am glad you shared the WIP and the finished work. That should go on your gallery page!

[Ken Hill]

Pretty classy

Me thinks John will be sipping tea with his pinky extended before long!

[Curt Fuller]

Now that's an interesting piece! I like the story in the beadwork. The colors and shape of the main burl vessel give it a gourd look. I'm not sold on the walnut bands but it's hard to picture what it would have looked like without them. As for the style, in the searching I've done on Native American pottery I've come to the conclusion that they were extremely creative and diverse with their shapes, forms, and designs and it would be difficult to nail down any real style. I have a feeling we're going to see something similar to that diversity coming from you in the future.

[David DeCristoforo]

Have to agree that this looks enormously better completed than it did in the "in progress" pics. The beading has a real "basket-like" quality that makes a much more southwestern statement than was conveyed by the plain holly version.

[Paul Douglass]

That is a beautiful piece.

[Ray Bell]

Geez, another process to put in put in my notebook for things to MAYBE try someday.
I really like it John, nice form, and the beading/color makes it look like real beads.

[Mark Hubl]

Nicely done John. Certainly a lot of work. I do think that the beading pulled the piece together. I like the overall form (water jug?). The collar at the base of the neck is a bit too pronounced for me. I know you were constricted by the size of the holly. I think the piece would be even more striking had the collar been out of holly and you would have continued the beading work in the collar. Lot more work for sure. Overall I think this is a great effort using new techniques. I look forward to your venture into SW inspired pieces.

[Richard Madden]

I'd have to say you did good, I like it, and maybe this is the first of many more to come.

[gary Zimmel]

This one looks great all finished up John.
I'm looking forward to seeing how the SW form era evolves...

[charlie knighton]

very nice

i like the work on the inside of the neck, also the finish on the burl makes that portion stand out, for all the first time things you did on this piece it really is a complete piece, you shoud be very proud of it

[Michael James]

That's an extraordinary piece there John, and it's very much SW. I always "lose" the abstract allusion in art, but thats my head and why I dont buy art. The beading looks exactly like the Indian corn I have hanging on my front porch! I agree that to copy a form exactly is an exercise which some of us (me) need to develop skill, but this one touches lots of areas. Thanks for dipping into the this approach - it's helpful and gives me LOTS of ideas for future pieces.
If it's too southwesterny for the folks your way, ship it to NM and we can get it displayed out here!:D

[John Keeton]

Thanks for putting up with my diversions!! This was a fun piece, and a chance to learn some more techniques. I am already thinking of some other variations on the theme.

I still want to know how you did the bottom and "top" claro parts...Jim, before I started the turning, on the bandsaw I cut the "disks" of Claro (three of them) and the burl disk. I jammed them against the chuck and cut a tenon on all four disks. Then I chucked the burl, and the upper Claro disks and trued the face of each disk and turned them within 1/2" of their final diameter per the sketch. The bottom piece of Claro was chucked, turned to the desired diameter, and the very center was dished out to nearly the finished depth, leaving a glue edge on the outside of about 1/2". I glued on the burl disk with Titebond, using the tailstock as a clamp and centering device. Then shaped the burl, along with the lower Claro base, and hollowed the burl, again leaving a glue edge of about 1/2". The top layer of Claro was glued on in similar fashion, and then shaped and hollowed to blend with the rest of the form.

Very nice John! I like the form and am really impressed with the beading-very nice effect. How did you color them?
thanks,
TomTom, I used Copic markers from Oozak (http://oozak.com/copic.php) If you call them (small company and the owner answers the phone) just ask what you need to do Jim Adkins style work. He will know exactly what to send you. I used the same colors - Burnt Sienna and Dark Bark, but there are many, many more colors and I am sure I will end up with a few. You can also buy empty Copic markers and fill them with your own dyes.


Maybe if the neck flowed into the vase a little better.
John don't pay me no mind I'm sure not an expert.:oFred, this seems to be the consistent issue with this turning, and I agree. Having never done this type of work, I wanted something simple. When the designs are laid out, you MUST have the math correct for the design to begin and end with a consistent pattern. On this piece, the "clouds" take up 4 index units (index markings from the lathe) and there are 4 units between each one, making a total of 24 - equal to the circumference of a piece indexed on my Delta.

When there is a "cove" or curve to the neck, all of this effects the glyph layout, and I wasn't ready for that - yet!:confused: I will take that on with the next one!;)


The collar at the base of the neck is a bit too pronounced for me. I know you were constricted by the size of the holly. I think the piece would be even more striking had the collar been out of holly and you would have continued the beading work in the collar.Mark, agreed, and as noted above, this will be addressed on future efforts! Gotta start somewhere!


very nice

i like the work on the inside of the neck, also the finish on the burl makes that portion stand out, for all the first time things you did on this piece it really is a complete piece, you shoud be very proud of itCharlie, thanks for being patient with me on this one!! I know you don't care for the coloration, and I promise to do better with that. But, I may never try for an exact replication of a SW piece. For some reason, I need to deviate from the norm - must be the eastern KY hillbilly in me!!:D

[Nate Davey]

Wow, another spectacular job John. Beautiful wood and masterful craftsmanship.

[David E Keller]

I'm pretty impressed with the finished product... I'd say your initial foray into beading, dye pens, and pyro was quite successful. I agree with you and the others about the shoulder of the piece, but I understand the difficulty in beaded curves. About the only original thought I had while studying the piece was that the beaded neck and burl compete with one another for my attention... I don't know that it's a bad thing, but I just thought I'd pass it along.

[charlie knighton]

For some reason, I need to deviate from the norm


artist perogative, if we all did it the same it would be very boring

[Tim Rinehart]

John,
The WIP did no real justice, I like how this turned out. Well done!

[Rich Aldrich]

Looks great to me. Nice job.

[James Combs]

Looks great to me John and fits "my" notion of what SW is to a tee.

[Baxter Smith]

Very nice job on all the new techniques! The neck colors blend in nicely now and I'm looking forward to your beaded curves!

[David DeCristoforo]

I keep coming back to look at this and I am thinking that it would look more in balance if the neck were about half as tall. Don't get me wrong... I think this is a great direction. Maybe you could try a shorter neck on the next one...:D

[John Keeton]

About the only original thought I had while studying the piece was that the beaded neck and burl compete with one another for my attention... I don't know that it's a bad thing, but I just thought I'd pass it along.David, you know it is very difficult for me to do anything that doesn't involve a burl!!:D But, you are right. I have Jeff Nicol checking his stash as we speak for some clear, very plain, maple. I think it would also do better for the pyro work. The holly seems to burn black, and I am hoping the maple will burn more amber.


I keep coming back to look at this and I am thinking that it would look more in balance if the neck were about half as tall. Don't get me wrong... I think this is a great direction. Maybe you could try a shorter neck on the next one...:DDavid, I think the issue is the lack of curvature of the neck. That lack of element creates all kind of issues with this piece. With a rising curve into the neck, and a little bit of concavity in the neck, flared a little at the top - I think one could even do a longer neck. I will work more on this idea, and I want to do more beading on the next one - even perhaps the whole piece, but I need to not outrun my skill level here. Haste makes waste!:o

[Baxter Smith]

John, if Jeff doesn't have any plain maple that is suitable, and what I sent you last spring would work, you are more than welcome to it. I have plenty for you to burn up!

[Jeff Hamilton Jr.]

Great work as usual John . . .

[Tim Thiebaut]

That is absolutly beautiful, that wood for the main body just glows! I love the overall design on the piece as well. Seeing something like this just seems amazing to someone new like me, T

[John Keeton]

John, if Jeff doesn't have any plain maple that is suitable, and what I sent you last spring would work, you are more than welcome to it. I have plenty for you to burn up!Baxter, thanks!! I will touch base with you after I hear back from Jeff.

Tim, Jeff - thanks for the comments!

[Rob Cunningham]

John, your work never ceases to amaze me. You certainly do keep raising bar. A very nice work of art.

[Josh Bowman]

John, looks great! I like everything about it. Very interesting. Did Bera pan out? I bet they would love this one.

[John Keeton]

Rob, Josh, thanks for the comments, and Josh, I am putting together a proposal for Berea that is due before year end. We shall see what happens!! Thanks for thinkin' of me!

[Roland Martin]

Wow John, lots of time in this one, huh? I guess I missed the first thread on this. Really nice color & fiddleback on the claro and an awesome piece of BLM. IMO, it's really hard to beat that combination. You are an amazingly quick study, a bunch of firsts and the results are phenominal. I have to admit that I've never been a great fan of SW form, but certainly appreciate all of the elements youve put into this. I do like the way the name tranlates into this form. Exceptional, John!