Spring Emerges

[Ken Glass]

Hey All,
I finished the turning I posted last week and thought you might like to comment on it. Its 13" overall and the (Flower) form is 5" wide and 2-1/2" tall. It is a Australian Brown Mallee Burl Cap and I left the base ragged to look natural. The Pedestal is American Holly that I ebonized and shot with a Flatt Dull Cote Lacquer. After turning the Pedestal, I thought it would look better if I bent the pedestal to show the flower turning towards the Sun. I soaked it in warm water for a few hours and found a radius that I liked and taped in in place until it dried. I used a Dry powder Dye mixed strong to get the Mallee to take enough stain and used three coats. The Flower is then Satin Lacquered. I glued in a lead weight at the base because it didn't want to stand well. I haven't decided if I am going to place a turned Sta-min in the center, or even what color I would choose, (maybe yellow?) so, if you wish, comment on that as well. Thanks for looking.

[David DeCristoforo]

Off to the coast today but just a quick comment ... It's spectacular! Totally love the bent stem. Great work on this.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Ken - that's a beauty! You have a real winner here just as it is! Seriously - very nice work!!

[Doug W Swanson]

Beautiful! The bent stem really adds interest and realism to it. Great job!

[Eric Gourieux]

You did a beautiful job on this one, Ken. I agree with loving it "as- is"

[Baxter Smith]

Beautiful work as is Ken! Both the bent stem and flower look great. You might try making a yellow stamen and stick it on with some sticky tack or the like and see which look you prefer.

[Bill Wyko]

Ken, that is an amazing work of art. The flower looks as though it's almost liquid. Very stunning.

[Scott Hackler]

Great results Ken. The combo of the red and black is a definite winner and the bent stem works very very well.

[Curt Fuller]

Now that is cool!

[John Keeton]

Ken, I vote no on the stamen, but Baxter's idea of a temporary placement to see if you like it makes sense. This is a really nice piece! I probably would have preferred a bit larger base, but if it is stable, then it is enough!

[Dennis Ford]

I like it as is. A really very nice piece.

[Mike Golka]

Very unique and beautiful, great piece.

[Ken Glass]

John,
It wasn't extremely stable until I glued a second lead weight into the base near the outside edge. It's not bad now, but when it is shown this fall at my Gallery show, it will need be in a display case, so it should be out of harms way.

[Jim Burr]

What a great idea Ken, and so well executed. I can visualize a stamin...but I really like it as is!

[Rick Markham]

Wow! Really spectacular, love the stem and base! Really a fantastic job on this one Ken

[Ken Glass]

Thanks for all the comments. I definitely needed to do something different and this was prompted by some new flowers coming up in my wife's flower garden, so I guess, that's where the inspiration came from.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Beautiful piece Ken. The bent stem just makes it.

[Michelle Rich]

the bent stem is wonderful!

[James Combs]

Some really great WOW factor to this one. If you do the temporary stamen show us a photo.

[David DeCristoforo]

This turned out really nicely. I have some reservations about the idea of adding a "stamen". If you do it, I would second the idea of temporally attaching it. Sometimes you gotta know when to stop. Sometimes that's the hardest part. I cannot see how any added "embellishments" would do anything but detract from this. I could be wrong (gasp?). But as a good friend used to say "I may not always be right but I'm never uncertain."

[Jon McElwain]

Fantastic! I have to admit, I had by doubts when you posted the WIP photos. But seeing it finished is a real treat. I like the black stem too - I think I had thought brown might look better, but I really like the combination of the red dye and the black stem. One thought on the stamen, I like the profile view just fine, but depending on what height it is displayed at, the stamen might help. What I mean is, if the piece is displayed on a table less than 3 feet off the ground, viewers will be looking down on the piece, and that view may be lacking some detail because all you will see is the top of the flower. However, if the piece is displayed up around eye level, then the viewer will get a good perspective of the bent stem as well as the flower.

At any rate, that is a fine piece. Well done!

[Ken Glass]

Hey All,
I have decided to leave well enough alone. The general consensus was it was OK without the stamen, so after I sent a picture to my daughter in Albuquerque, the real Artisan in the family, she said to leave it as is, so that is good enough for me...... Thanks again for all the great comments and suggestions.

[Kathy Marshall]

That turned out great Ken! I really like the color combo and as everyone else said, the bent stem takes it up a notch!

[John Shuk]

Really awesome piece. It really has it all including superb execution.