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French Franc Coin Bowl



French Franc Coin Bowl features French Francs coins that are cast in clear resin around the rim of a bowl. I think subconsciously this is origin of my idea to place color pencils around the rim of a bowl which is one of my signature themes.

I was looking for a special birthday gift for my wonderful friend who’s initials are R.F.  After returning from France I noticed the coins had the letters RF on them for the Republic of France. I went ahead to turn a wood bowl with a recess in a wide rim and put the coins on the wood and flooded the recess with resin. 

History

Woodturning goes back to the time of the ancient Egyptians.  Though the centuries and especially the industrial revolution the lathe was a tool to produce utilitarian parts.  Probably the most common product being a wood bowl with the purpose to prepare and consume food.  It was not until the early 1970’s that wood turning began to develop as an art form. 

The revolution began with David Ellsworth who transferred what he was doing with ceramics to wood which seemed like an impossible task at the time.  David then began to share his technique with craft markers and wood art took off from there.  David has helped me expand my horizons.  I am the first person to carve and decorate wood in my club and took a lot of grief from the “Wood Purists” who believe wood should not be decorated.  Some of them got over it and accepted to future.  There are still many makers in the wood community that condemn the use of colored pencils in woodturning.  My message to them is to accept that wood is a canvas.  

Gift Ideas

Of you like French Franc Coin Bowl take a look in my shop for a gift for your friends. 

Studio

I design all my items in Montvale, New Jersey, USA

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