Maple Burl Bowl

The story behind the bowl is always interesting.  Last fall friends dropped by with an enormous maple burl which they found in the forest of their hunt camp. It had been left behind when a fallen tree was cut up for wood.

It took a lot of muscle to get this burl off the trailer and into the workshop.  It measured 20 inches across with irregular and distinctive knobs and protuberances.



After studying the burl, Brian decided to make a bowl which was narrower at the bottom and fluted up to dramatic wings.  He needed strength and stamina as well as artistic knowledge of wood to discover the beauty within such a large burl.

 



Brian mounted the burl on the lathe and shaped the top and bottom of the burl with his gouges.  He never knows what the interior of the burl will reveal until it is exposed.  The cracks, bark inclusions and variations of colour and grain resulted in the raw beauty of this burl. 

Multiple coats of a special blend of food-safe oil were applied while on it was on the lathe and allowed to dry.  After a week, the bottom of the bowl was turned off and finished.



This unique creation began as a discarded piece of wood and with Brian's skill as a woodturner, has been transformed into a stunning maple burl bowl.  The wild and rugged landscape of the bush is visible in its smooth surface and for our friends it is a lasting reminder of their forest and camp.

Reclaimed Elm Bowls

Brian had an unusual request for a commission recently that resulted in two beautiful bowls. Jack wanted to give his grandson a special gift for his wedding that would remind him of good times at the cottage.  He brought Brian pieces of a log which had rested by the dock for over 50 years and was used to tie up the boat. 

Until he cut into the log, Brian was not sure of the species of the wood.  Pine would be common but when he started to turn the piece, it was elm.  Elm is a dying breed of tree because of Dutch Elm Disease and it is prized for its variations in colour and grain.

Brian was able to keep a raw edge on one of the bowls to accentuate the richness in colour and texture.  Jack reported that his grandson was touched by a wedding gift that would bring back happy memories of the cottage, boating and their lake.