"Smoke Signals"

[John Keeton]

I hope some of you like this piece better than I do!! It has a history!

When Roland posted the Art Challenge idea, I had an idea for a dyed piece that required a nice chunk of curly maple. The colors were going to be black and blue.

I ordered a couple of pieces from a supplier - described over the phone as very curly. I had not purchased from this company before.

On visual inspection they were curly, but not tight. Nonetheless, I thought they would work. So, I hollowed the piece, and poured a black epoxy accent ring without sealing the recess as the piece was going to get black dye anyway.

Well the dye process was a failure. The curl just wouldn't pop no matter what I did. I lightly turned off the dye, and tried another color - no good!

I laid the piece aside, and come up with another plan - the piece that I have already posted for the challenge.

Every time I would look at this piece, I got disgusted! Finally, I decided I had enough time in it that it just needed to become SOMETHING!

So, I turned it to what you see, dyed it brown to mimic an old piece of Native American pottery (or at least my idea of one!), but then what to do for a finial?!?! Those pots don't have finials!!

My creative juices for this piece had long since dried up, and when I chucked up the finial blank, I still didn't know what I wanted to do.

Since I start at the tip, I thought "smoke signals!" Dumb idea, but the best I could do!

As I got to the base of the finial, I just decided to duplicate the form and quit. Steve Schlumpf and I both agree that the tip of the finial is too heavy for the piece, but there ain't gonna be another one!

So here it is - I ain't proud of it, but it is done! It is what it is!

[Tony De Masi]

John, I don't blame you for not being proud of this one. Looks like someone had no idea of what to do on a lathe

Are you nuts or something? I understand that the process didn't go as you had hoped or expected but good grief man, it's still quite a nice piece.

Ok, rant over.

Tony

[Matt Ranum]

Its not as nice as some of your others John but it certainly isn't that bad. Except for the bulkiness of the finial I think it looks pretty decent.

Of course this from someone who doesn't know crap from shinola.

[Roger Chandler]

Hello John,
Quality control departments in manufactures facilities always have a "seconds" bin for those that are not perfect. Your work is great! After what you have already achieved, your standards for yourself are way high!

That brings me to a question that I would like you to answer, if you would not mind taking the time. It has to do with design process. Do you usually have a pretty solid idea of what you want to do, including most details before you begin with blank, or do you at times "design as you go," and has that ever led to disappointment with turning [other than this one?]

I sometimes am in want of creative inspiration, although when I look at the turnings posted here at times, I get inspired by what others have done. I don't like to copy others work, but sometimes similarities are almost inevitable. How many things can a person turn in the process of learning that hasn't already been done by someone else? There are millions of "round and brown" things out there.

[alex carey]

its not THAT bad

[Frank Van Atta]

Nice shape, and certainly some interesting grain. I not only like it, I like the finial, too.

[Fred Perreault]

looks like a piece of partially charred firewood to me.....
right....

[David DeCristoforo]

I agree. Crappy form, stupid looking finial and, my god, what ever did you do to that poor piece of wood?!?! I'd never leave something like that laying around. Toss it in the fireplace... quick. Like Fred said, it already looks half charred anyway...

[Jim Underwood]

Ok... is it just me, or do you all think John should send this piece to me also?



I wish all my stuff were at least this "bad"....

I like it.

[John Keeton]

Thanks for the comments! Even Fred's, David's and Jim's!!!

I think when a turning doesn't go right, it is difficult to regroup - or, it is for me. I lose interest, and as a result, lose inspiration. I guess I just feel this piece lacks a lot, and is just a result of me not wanting to get "whupped" by a piece of wood. The wood may still have come out winner!

Do you usually have a pretty solid idea of what you want to do, including most details before you begin with blank, or do you at times "design as you go," and has that ever led to disappointment with turning [other than this one?].

Roger, for the first few pieces I did, I didn't know what I could accomplish, so some of them just "developed."

But, after I became more comfortable with the tools, and realized what cuts I could do with the tools I had, I began planning the piece to its completion before chucking the wood - this piece being the obvious exception!!

The last several pieces I have done, good or bad, were all planned to the fine details, including the wood used. For the most part, they all went as planned.

For inspiration, I am still at the point where I see someone else's work, and get an idea from it. It may not be a duplication, but some of the elements are used.

The piece for the art challenge was probably my first truly "original" work. Except for the obvious influence of Cindy Drozda in the finials, the rest of it was developed from my thoughts alone.

[David Drickhamer]

Your right John, what a piece of junk. I think you should just get rid of it. I'll PM you my address.

[David DeCristoforo]

"Thanks for the comments! Even Fred's, David's and Jim's!!!"

Hey, no prob, John... just tryin' to be agreeable You know we think that's a sweet little pot....

[Roland Martin]

These replies are comical as hell! Of course, I haven't gone through all the frustrations you did on this turning, but personally think it's well done. The form & the upper details are very nice. I really like the finial (without the tip) and the color, well, not my cup of tea.
This shall pass, as soon as you chuck up another hunk

[Roger Chandler]

Thanks John,

I have similar times when things just developed, and at times I got good results, others were a disappointment. I am thinking that I need a blueprint, at least in my mind before I ever chuck up a new piece of wood. The details can be the undoing of a well intentioned project, especially if one does not think about the order of the turning process, as well as the design.

Example, there have been a couple of times I did not leave myself enough wood to make the final parting, and pulled fibers away from the piece. Finishing off a lid, and not leaving enough for the knob, etc. Makes one have to adapt to save the piece, and changes the design, mostly not for the better.

[John Keeton]

"Thanks for the comments! Even Fred's, David's and Jim's!!!"

Hey, no prob, John... just tryin' to be agreeable You know we think that's a sweet little pot....

It's great to have friends that share my anguish!!