Black Walnut Table with a Bark Edge

Brian was inspired to make this beautiful table when he purchased slabs of a black walnut tree. Even in its raw form, the character of the wood shone through. Black walnut trees are straight-grained with a rich chocolate heartwood and creamy white sapwood closer to the bark.  The bark of the black walnut tree is grey-black and deeply furrowed. 

  

Brian used two boards, milled from the same walnut tree, which had defined figuring, intact bark and were free of cracks.  He cut the boards closer to one edge, leaving about 6 inches on the narrower side.  These smaller pieces were used for the skirt of the table.  Brian glued the two pieces, clamped them together and fashioned legs out of black walnut.

The result is a beautiful table with a lustrous finish, rich colours, unique grain variations and a live bark edge.

"Out of the Woods"

The Artists of the Limberlost are celebrating their 5th anniversary but this is the first time that they have staged an art show together.  Each August they open their studios to the public, showcasing their work individually, so this is a special exhibition.

Brian usually creates his art on his lathe but an especially beautiful bark-edged slab of black walnut inspired him to make this coffee table. 

The resulting "Out of the Woods" show is an eclectic mix of exceptional art:  Jerry Friedman's driftwood sculpture, Susan Higgins' fused and stained glass, Mark Kulas' stylized wildlife and wilderness paintings, Catherine O'Mara's egg tempura paintings, Brenda Wainman Goulet's bronze sculpture, Sharon Stock Feren's mixed media of photograpy, painting and mosaics, Jeff Miller's acrylic and oil paintings and of course Brian's woodturned bowls and platters.

The show opens at The Art Space Gallery on Friday, May 6th with a reception from 5 pm to 8 pm and continues until May 28th. For more information about the "Out of the Woods" show and the Artists of the Limberlost see:

www.artistsofthelimberlost.ca

www.huntsvilleartsociety.com