Quilted Bigleaf Maple Platter

Quilted Bigleaf Maple has rare wavy figuring that looks like ripples on water.  Highly prized for its beauty, it is often used when making guitars and musical instruments. Imagine Brian's anticipation as he prepared to make a platter from this very special board.



Brian scribed a circle with his compass and cut the board with his band saw.  He was able to keep a portion of the bark intact as a feature of the platter.

The maple circle was mounted on the lathe with the faceplate so that Brian could turn the shape of the platter.  Bigleaf Maple is a light golden colour which contrasts with the reddish brown of the bark edge.

Once the graceful shape of the bottom of the platter was completed, Brian cut a dovetail to insert a chuck.  This allowed him to mount the other side of the platter so he could turn the top.

There were many steps of sanding, polishing and oiling which resulted in a smooth finish to enhance and protect the beauty of the wood.



Quilted Bigleaf Maple Platter



The process from the raw maple board to this exquisite platter was satisfying as the true and natural beauty of the quilted figuring was revealed. 

The complex and intricate patterns of the wood are completed by the texture of the bark edge. It is indeed a work of art.

Wooden Tea Candles

You may wonder what happens to the pieces of wood that remain when Brian turns a bowl or platter.  They are piled in the corner until he decides to make some tea candles.  The beautiful edges of burl or figured wood are not discarded but turned to add a bit of light to your table or room.

Brian mounts each piece of wood on the lathe and shapes it to best display any grain or bark that is present.  A hole the size of a tea candle is drilled into the centre of the wood.

The raw edge of the maple burl tea candle is an exact match to this magificant burl bowl.  A perfect complement as they were part of the same maple burl.

Ride to Conquer Cancer

Brian doesn't spend all of his time at the lathe and in the workshop. He has run many marathons but cycling is his favourite way to start the day.

This weekend Brian and his son Steve rode in the Ride to Conquer Cancer to raise funds for Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto.  On Saturday the day started with rain but it didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the 5500 cyclists who rode from Toronto to Hamilton.  They camped overnight at Mohawk College and this morning began the second stage of the race from Hamilton to Niagara Falls.  It was a sea of yellow jerseys and bicycles.

Brian and Steve had a fantastic race and today rode 100 km in 3 hours and 12 minutes, among the first 15 cyclists to cross the finish line.  You can see that they finished with strength and enthusiasm, despite the hot day and hard pace.

 

No race is complete without the support and cheers of spectators, family and friends.  Steve and Brian are proud to be part of the event that raised 18.1 million dollars for cancer research.

Way to go Brian and Steve!

MAST Exhibit: Maple Burl Bowl

Burls, or the odd bumps on the side of a tree, are highly prized by wood turners.  Brian works with the natural shape of the burl to create a unique and unusual bowl.

Turning the burl on the lathe uncovers the intertwining dark heartwood, the lighter sapwood and the bark deep within the burl.  The final form is revealed after turning, sanding, buffing and polishing, with beautiful results.

This maple burl bowl is on display at the Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour exhibit at the Summit Centre until July 16th, 2012.  For more information go to:

www.muskokaautumnstudiotour.com

Yellow Birch Burl-From Burl to Bowl

The process of making a bowl is most rewarding when it begins with cutting the burl from the tree.  A call from a woman in Novar about a dead yellow birch tree with an enormous burl on it was followed up with Brian's visit with the chainsaw.  This 3 foot section is just part of the total burl.



The burl was too large to turn on the inner section of the lathe so after the faceplate was attached, it was mounted on the outboard side of the lathe.  It weighed about 100 pounds.

With a very sharp gouge, Brian turned off the outer bark and shaped the bottom of the bowl.

The figuring and spalting of the bowl was revealed as it was shaped and buffed.

Burls are irregular growths that naturally occur on trees with variations in colour, grain and bark inclusions.  Brian turned the inside of the bowl, buffed it and gave it many coats of a food-safe finish.



Yellow Birch Burl Bowl

The finished yellow birch bowl is exceptional with a natural edge, beautiful figuring and a graceful shape.  The original owners of the tree visited Brian's workshop and decided that it must return to their home.  Their excitement as they left the workshop with the finished bowl was satisfying as they could truly appreciate the process from burl to bowl.

MAST Exhibit Opening Reception

You are invited to the Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour opening reception at the Summit Centre on Friday, April 27, 5:00 to 6:30.  The artists will be present with a display of their most recent work.  The show runs until July 16 in the building's main entrance and in the artium overlooking the foyer. 

This exhibit is a preview of the art you can see during the Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour this fall on September 22, 23 and 29, 30 from 10 am to 6 pm.

www.muskokaautumnstudiotour.com

Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour Exhibit at the Summit Centre

Today was set-up day for the Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour exhibit at the Summit Centre in Huntsville.  It was exciting to see the show come together as the different art forms were hung on the walls and in the display cases.

Here is Brian's walnut burl bowl with Susan Higgin's fused glass, Eric Lindgren's pottery, Marnie Martin's woven scarf and Jon Partridges's pottery.  The mix of colour, texture and medium make a beautiful display.

The show runs from April 17 to July 16, 2012.  For more information on MAST, go to:

www.muskokaautumnstudiotour.com