Pecan Crotch Bowl - Lake Superior Memories

[Blair Swing]

Recently took a trip up to Michigan, around the UP and over to Duluth to see a cousin and was inspired to create this latest piece, which my cousin is getting as a wedding present.

Came from a crotch of a very old Pecan tree in Fort Worth that had been drying in my garage for over a year. Finished measures about 9" diameter and 3" deep, transtint blue die base, with added streaks of green, yellow, red to accent the grains.

Comments always welcome!
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[Adam Petersen]

Very cool looking. I like the interior color of the bowl. It looks real thin. Dyeing is something I would like to learn some day.

[Doug Ladendorf]

Nicely done Blair, it looks like a very useful bowl for newly weds. I like the dye too, with the grain highlighted.

[Blair Swing]

It looks real thin

Doug,

Looks can be a bit deceiving, it is probably 3/8" on average, still fairly thin, but not as thin as it may appear, by flaring out the top to a thin point it gives a thinner look, and in case my cousin actually uses it as a salad bowl, wanted some mass to it, and not just an art piece.



Dyeing is something I would like to learn some day


I started dyeing with Marvin the Martian and with him I just wanted bright primary/secondary colors, and no mixing or blending - purposefully made him in pieces and put together at last minute with epoxy so I could dye the parts separately. This is the first bowl I attempted, and not before I watched a Jimmy Clewes video on the subject of dyeing. I use the denatured alcohol for the base instead of water, and after applying a dark blue and sanding it almost off, applied a lighter blue, then streaks of yellow green and red on top of that field, and more alcohol to diffuse the colors, using a brush till I liked the effect. The salad bowl coating over the top sealed it, but some other types (shellac for example) would not work, as they are alcohol based, and would diffuse/smear the color more.

Also on this used my lathe buffing wheels for the first time - and was impressed with the added depth they gave to the finish.