Description
This Award Winning Colored Pencil Vase features several techniques to achieve the bone color surface. The process includes wood turning, carving, painting and bleaching. It was awarded Second Place Award from the North Eastern Woodworking Symposium 2017 in Saratoga New York. This is an annual regional event for wood art makers.
Process
The process began with wood turning the wooden vase. Next I insert color pencils around the body and carve the stipple texture around the entire surface with a power carver. The Award Winning Colored Pencil Vase then receives a strong bleach solution. This removes the wood color and creates the bone white surface. At this point the vase no longer looks like wood, but porcelain.
Alchemy
One of the themes that I often pursue is to change the look of wood so that it appears to be something else. When the viewer cannot identify the item as wood then I have achieved my goal. Here is another item where I want the wood to appear as an antique copper vase.
There are many wood turners who are critical of this process. They believe that wood is sacred and should look like wood. The call themselves Wood Purists. For me wood is a canvas and open for manipulation. Can you imagine an art movement demanding only white canvas? There would be no paintings.
Studio
I design all of my items is my Montvale, NJ USA studio. The wood lathe is my primary tool to create the form. Once I have a shape that I am happy with I will spend time at the studio bench refining and enhancing the piece to make a unique product.
Gift Ideas
If you are looking for a unique gift and do not see it in my store on this website you can see more of my art at Etsy.