Blue Agarita Vessel

[Alan Trout]

This is my latest piece. This is a commission piece that I started after the symposium. The wood color combination and basic form shape were at the request of the client. The wood is a Agarita root burl. Which is a native shrub in the Texas Hill Country. This is the natural color of the wood. At first I was not thrilled with the idea of this color combination but after I got it done It has grown on me. It is a little under 7" high by about 5" in diameter and 1/8" thick and very translucent. It is finished in a high gloss CA finish.

Overall I am pretty happy with the form and proportions. Not a radically shaped piece but nice to look at and practical for someones home.

Of course comments always welcome.

[John Keeton]

Alan, I wanted so much to pick up one of your pieces at AAW and look at it in the light - wish I had gotten you to go over with me to do that. I bet this one is striking with some light behind it. Great work - just excellent!!

[Dennis Ford]

WOW, I love it.

[Robert McGowen]

Very striking. Your pieces always remind me of a planet with angry seas!

[Michael James]

+1 on WOW, I love it!

[Baxter Smith]

Very neat job Alan! Unusual color combo for me at first but I can see why it has grown on you. I can't decide which side I like the most. I thought image 1 because there is more wood at first, but then I am not so sure!

[Alan Trout]

Thanks to everyone for the nice comments. I usually post the view I like most first. But I agree with Baxter that view 3 has some neat stuff to look at.

Alan

[David Reed]

Very striking indeed. It reminds me of what the sulfurous, cratered surface of Mars could have looked like before all the water disappeared.
I love it.

[Jeff Fagen]

Reminds me of a relief globe,I'd put it on my shelf.

[David E Keller]

That's a gorgeous piece, Alan! There must be something wrong with me 'cause I liked the color combo right from the start. I'm working with a piece of agarita right now, but it's not nearly as pretty as that one! Can't wait to see one of these pieces in Waco!

[Marc Himes]

Striking, as are all your pieces done this way! I am intrigued by your work and imagine it is really fun to see what you get when you are finished turning the piece and see the neat patterns that show up due to the contrast between the wood and the resin. Keep them coming!

[Michelle Rich]

It "grew" on me at first sight! Despite the shape I always think of the earth/sea when I see the blue...Super piece. Very eye-catching.

[Nate Davey]

Wow Alan, another stunner. One day I will buy your DVD, when it comes out.

[Josh Bowman]

Wow!!!!!!!

[Eric Holmquist]

I liked it from the start, makes me feel like I'm looking out the window comming in for a landing at some island in the Caribbean.

[Russell Eaton]

I like it also. Just 1 question. How thin is it turned? Thanks for posting.

[Alan Trout]

Russell,

It is right at 1/8" to a little under. It is pretty thin. and thanks to everyone for their compliments.

Alan

[Russell Eaton]

Alan thanks for the info. That had to be tense to turn that thin. Good looking form.

[Jim Burr]

That one should drum up more business..the customer is sure to be delighted!!

[Jim Underwood]

I've appreciated you sharing these forms and the striking colors.

I'm wondering how you cast the resin? Do you rough turn these and then make some kind of dam to keep the resin trapped?

[Alan Trout]

Jim

In the simplest terms I pre-turn, form, and then cast under pressure. Of course there is much more to it and some specific techniques that I incorporate in the process because the is a certain level of precision that needs to be considered because the piece is re-chuck from the pre-turn state and you don't want to alter the shape you established to get it to clear up.

Thanks,

Alan

[John W Dixon]

Very nice! Looks like you chucked up a globe and turned it down. Really cool.

[Jim Underwood]

Well shucks... Alan, I was hoping for a little more detail. I suppose it's one of those "If I told you, then I'd have to shoot you" secrets, eh?:D

[Doug W Swanson]

Alan,

I wasn't quite sure if I liked the color contrast at first but it seems to be growing on me. I still think the green one you did a while back looks better but this one looks good, too. JMO (for whatever that's worth!;))

[Alan Trout]

Jim,

I am supposed to do an article in the near future. It is more extensive than I am good with on a forum. I have never been very comfortable with my language art skills but when I can have my stuff proof read I do pretty well. I really appreciate the interest and I will gladly go into more detail.

Thanks

Alan

[Steve Schlumpf]

Alan - congrats on getting the WOW cover honors! Well deserved!

Beautiful work of art! Looking forward to seeing what you create next!

[Lupe Duncan]

Jim,

I am supposed to do an article in the near future. It is more extensive than I am good with on a forum. I have never been very comfortable with my language art skills but when I can have my stuff proof read I do pretty well. I really appreciate the interest and I will gladly go into more detail.

Thanks

Alan

That would be Awesome Allen, Cant wait to see that.

Thats a good size Agarita ball you got ther and you did a good job on it.

[Jeff Nicol]

I am one of the lucky ones who got to sit in the presence of the master of acrylic and wood creations at the dinner we had during the AAW symposium! So Jim I was blessed to get a little inside knowledge on Alan's skills, but by no means is it easy or non-fussy. One has to have patience, speed (For the pour) and a good pressure tank! So Alan has it all, and I am envious on a few levels. The big one is that he gets all these really cool root burls that he makes into turned gold!

Another wonderful piece ALan!

Jeff

[Alan Trout]

Jeff,

Thank you for the compliments. Could not have done it without your steady rest. I really appreciate it for sure. It is a pretty big commitment in time and money to do these larger castings. I am ordering 10 more gallons of Resin tomorrow. Pretty expensive stuff. Kind of like buying a load of exotic burls. But making these pieces is a lot of fun.

Again thanks to everyone for your kind words.

Alan