In order to get ready for the Baltimore American Craft Council show next week I've developed a new series of geometric tea candle holders and flower vases. For quite a while I've been thinking about how to make a series of inexpensive items I could sell along side my shellac work so that I can have a wider range of price points. Though I have no idea how popular they will be, the price point is certainly within reach of anyone who walks in the building.
Still, the most important thing is that I find the work sculpturally interesting enough to make because if I get bored making something, it just isn't going to get done. Thankfully, I feel that I have covered that issue as well. If I were an art critic, looking "objectively" at them, I think I'd say that the random angles add a level of surprise to the pieces and the minimalistic flat surfaces play well with the contrasting complexity of the natural wood grain.
Most interesting for me, however, is how I find them to be an inspiration for non-functional sculpture. I think it would be fun to make something that is conceptually similar without having to worry about functionality. I can see making a much bigger piece that would have real presence without being overbearing. Maybe I'll play around with some ideas when I get back from Baltimore.
The piece below was the first of the series. I was thrilled to find a use for a small chuck of scrap lumber that was very close to becoming someone else's fire wood.
Still, the most important thing is that I find the work sculpturally interesting enough to make because if I get bored making something, it just isn't going to get done. Thankfully, I feel that I have covered that issue as well. If I were an art critic, looking "objectively" at them, I think I'd say that the random angles add a level of surprise to the pieces and the minimalistic flat surfaces play well with the contrasting complexity of the natural wood grain.
Most interesting for me, however, is how I find them to be an inspiration for non-functional sculpture. I think it would be fun to make something that is conceptually similar without having to worry about functionality. I can see making a much bigger piece that would have real presence without being overbearing. Maybe I'll play around with some ideas when I get back from Baltimore.
The piece below was the first of the series. I was thrilled to find a use for a small chuck of scrap lumber that was very close to becoming someone else's fire wood.
curly birch tea candle holder
5" x 12" x 6"
This one was made with a scrap I had been carrying around since somewhere around 1999. I remember I used the lumber for a couple of nightstands that I'm still real proud of. 5" x 12" x 6"
curly maple tea candle holder
5" x 22" x 6"
curly birch tea candle holder
5.5" x 17" x 6" 
curly maple flower vase
5" x 24" x 3"
cherry flower vase
4.5" x 19.5" x 1.5"
These last too were going to be made with just two sections but they weren't stable enough so I added the third. Sculpturally, I think the third piece works well.
curly birch flower vase
5.5" x 24" x 2.5" 
curly maple flower vase
6.5" x 27" x 3"
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