Collaboration

[Curt Fuller]

First off, I didn't turn either of these bowls. In fact I had nothing to do with any of this but I liked it a lot and wanted to show it off. The bowls were turned by Clead Christiansen in the late '80's and have sat in his studio since then. He said he didn't like them as they were, said they were too plain. (I wish I could turn a bowl like that and 'not like it'.) So he asked my wife if she would like to try doing something with them to add something to them. After fretting for a couple months she finally decided to do a stamped design on them. She used to work as a stamp designer for a company called Dream Impressions and the stamps are her own design. The ink is a semi-transparent permanent brown ink.
The first is a large maple bowl, about 18" diameter with a wide rim stamped in a Box Elder leaf design. The second is an Elm bowl about 14" diameter stamped with a Japanese Maple design around the inside.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Holy cow Curt those are beautiful. I am like you. Sure wish I could turn something that nice and not like it. Wow. By the way your wife did a nice job.

[John Hart]

Wow....Cool collaboration! Nice work to both of them.

Sooo...what happens to the bowls now? do you keep them?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Curt....Your wife and Clead have a good thing going! Nicely done.

[Jonathon Spafford]

Hey those are nice little collaborations... The bowls are super cool and the leaves are a beautiful touch!

[Gordon Seto]

Curt,

They compliment each other's work extremely well. I like them.
Would you please ask your wife if she doesn't mind to share the stamping process?

Gordon

[Steve Schlumpf]

Beautiful bowls! I actually think the bowls are enhanced by the stamps! Very nice collaboration.

Curious, like John already asked, what's going to happen to the bowls now?

[Andy Hoyt]

Cool. Very Cool.

[Corey Hallagan]

Very nice Curt, they look great!

Corey

[Skip Spaulding]

Bowls look great, hope someone gets to enjoy them!

[Curt Fuller]

Thanks everyone.

Gordon, the stamping process was done using a small rubber stamp like you can buy at the craft stores or online. They're made for stamping cards and things but they worked pretty good on the wood too. The ink pad was the kind that goes with the stamps and they come in lots of colors. The trick is having an eye for the pattern. Plus you have to stamp after the finish is on because the solvents in some finishes will dissolve the ink.

Steve, as for the bowl, it will go back to Clead's studio. It was just an experiment to see what my wife could come up with. If he likes it then maybe she'll do some more.

[Keith Burns]

Very nice pieces Curt. Glad you showed them:) :)

[Paul Engle]

Very nice Mrs Curt, I wonder if a stamp could be made for a template for say doing pyrography or texturing? you know stamp the pattern , do the work then off comes the ink in the finish steps? Does the LOYL have any commerical stuff for sale? I want to texture some birch bowls, etc for a juried show up here this this spring before the LPAC has its craft/art fair this summer very large turn out by the lake in Sandpoint ID. ( I really need to do well at the juried part first) and this maybe a good way to get repeatabillity on some of the " sets " I have done so far.

[Mike Ramsey]

I would like to congratulate your wife on a fine job Curt.

[Curt Fuller]

Paul, I had the same thoughts about using the stamp as a template for burning or carving. I'm sure it could be done by someone that is into pyrography and/or carving. As for the availability of the stamps, she doesn't do the stamping. She works as a freelance graphics artist and when this company accepted her designs they sent on each of the the stamps she designed. This was the first time we had ever used them. The company sells them online at http://www.dreamimpressions.com/ . The particular stamps on thes bowls are http://www.dreamimpressions.com/ecommerce/os/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=366 and http://www.dreamimpressions.com/ecommerce/os/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=410