A gaggle of spalted maple.

[Toney Robertson]

9 1/4" x 1 1/2" - Wipe on Poly and buffed.

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj101/iublue/133-33A.jpg

9 1/2" x 2 1/4" - Danish Oil

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj101/iublue/148-48A.jpg

10 1/2" x 2 1/2" - Danish Oil

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj101/iublue/147-47.jpg

10 1/2" x 3 1/2" - Wipe on Poly and buffed

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj101/iublue/145-45A.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj101/iublue/145-45B.jpg

Since the last one has a hole in it and can not hold soup, does that make it art? Does that triple the price? :D

Any comments, constructive criticisms or advice is welcome.

Toney

[Scott Hubl]

All are very nice Toney and the spalting is awsome.

Got a Question about the 3rd one NE , How was that blank cut and oriented?
Did it start out as a normal but very shallow blank?
I like the wild edge.

[Tim Self]

I gotta tell you, I love spalting. I really like no 3. The ne is amazing. I assume it was a shallow blank.

[Richard Madison]

Toney,
The spalted maple makes it "art". Others may not agree. Very pretty bowls!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Beautiful work Toney! Great forms and wood! I agree with Richard - it's the spalting that makes these pieces Art! Very nice work and looks like you got the start of a great series!

[Toney Robertson]

All are very nice Toney and the spalting is awsome.

Got a Question about the 3rd one NE , How was that blank cut and oriented?
Did it start out as a normal but very shallow blank?
I like the wild edge.


Scott,

The "blank" if you want to call it that came from the first pass of a bandsaw mill to start to square up the log. My son thought I should throw that piece away. It did have some deep crack that had turned black as you can see at the bottom right. I stabilized that with CA.

Here is a couple of more shots of that piece.

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj101/iublue/147-47B.jpg

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj101/iublue/147-47A.jpg

By the way, the black color of the edge is natural. No treatment at all except to buff some of the lose stuff away.

Thanks,

Toney

[Bernie Weishapl]

Beautiful bowls out of some beautiful wood. Looks like a great series of bowls.

[Jon Lanier]

Sweet! I concur with Tim... #3 is my favorite.

[Cody Colston]

Those bowls are beautiful and your photography really shows them off well. Great job on both.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Very nice bowls and I agree with Cody...great photography!

[robert hainstock]

Soup isn/t my measuring stick, (art or not). I use popcorn. They are all very nice work. Thanks for sharing.:D:D:D
Bob

[Bob Hallowell]

Very nice, I love spalted maple! it's my favorite

Bob

[Curt Fuller]

Toney, a while back you posted something about your frustration with some comments made by the juror of a show you entered. If I remember right it was something about your work not having anything "common" to it. When I saw this beautiful group of bowls the first thought that came to mind was how good they would look displayed together in a group. They're all really nice and I like how they are all different but linked by the common wood. Anyway, they're really some beautiful bowls.

[Robert McGowen]

Well, I have to disagree with a couple of the comments about the wood. If the "wood" makes the bowls art, then anyone that happened upon this wood would be an "artist." Everyone here could just use great wood and they would end up with great work. One person even saw the natural edge blank as waste or firewood, but it certainly did not turn out that way. I think Toney used the wood to display his talents. You can make a great turning with skill and mediocre wood, but you can't do the same with no skill and great wood. I think Toney just happened to have both skill and great wood in this set of bowls. Nice job!

[Richard Madison]

They are art because beautiful wood was skillfully turned. If they were poorly turned I would not consider them art, but just a waste of nice wood.

[Steve Schlumpf]

I believe that we are all on the same page with regards to Toney’s turnings but I should have elaborated a little more in my initial post instead of writing such a short response.

My initial comment was about Toney’s beautiful work and the great forms he created. To me the form (shape) is the most important element of a turning. You can have a great form on something but that form, in and of itself, may not necessarily cause the piece to be considered a work of art. A great form coupled with beautiful wood can elevate a piece above what it would have been should the wood not been as noteworthy.

As an example, take a look at any of Toney’s bowls posted in this thread. (I am excluding the natural edge bowl for this example as it could be considered by some as an art piece based on unique form alone) We all agree that the form on any of these bowls have been turned quite well but differ on whether the wood elevates the piece to art. If the bowl in question (pick one) was turned out of a plain grain wood – would it have the same appeal as the spalted piece? The spalted bowl, placed on display and promoted as a piece of art would be perfectly acceptable to most as art. The same bowl, but with a plain grain, while still a nicely turned bowl, would not necessarily be considered art based on form alone. While there are many aspects to consider in order to label a piece ‘art’, I believe that the majority of the time the winning combination is the turner’s skill coupled with beautiful wood. As always, there are exceptions to the rule.

This is just my opinion and not meant to spark a debate as to what does or does not constitute art. If anyone has strong feelings on this subject that they wish to share – please start a separate thread.

[Toney Robertson]

I appreciate all the comments.

I did not intend to start a conflict on what constitutes art with my flippant comment. I do not considered myself an artist. I am just a guy trying his damnest to do good work. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

I am VERY art challenged so I did not even realize that I had a "series" going, thanks for informing me. :D I have more in the series that I can post later.

Thanks again,

Toney