Olive Closed Bowl Form with ventilation

[Kathy Marshall]

Got a hold of some olive logs last week but they are really mis-shaped (not round like a proper log ). I took one of the smaller ones to the bandsaw thinking I might be able to get a small bowl blank (#4 of 200 lol) out of it. Long story short, there wasn't enough solid surface to get a conventional small bowl, so I decided to go with a closed form bowl since I haven't done one of those before.
Not totally happy with the shape. I originally had a great shape, but it was just a bit too big and the void area would have been half of the upper section, so as I was reducing the size I had an unintentional design opportunity and just couldn't get the shape back without making it a miniature bowl. I also left the foot a little too big. I had intended to round off the bottom like a calabash bowl when I finished the bottom, but I didn't leave enough wood (it's about 1/1"6 at the bottom).
It's just under 3" tall by 5" wide with a coat of DO so far.

8-2-11 01s.jpg 8-2-11 02s.jpg 8-2-11 03b.jpg

Thanks for looking!
As always comments and critiques are welcome.

[Dennis Ford]

The shape looks good to me and the wood is very pretty.

[charlie knighton]

very nice to look at, Kathy

[Randy Gleckler]

Kathy,

I think the foot looks good, my only suggestion would be to move the center point (widest point) down or up a bit. Seems to centered based on design flows I've seen. The bowl does still look very very nice. You did a great job on it.

[John Keeton]

Kathy, quite an interesting form! I agree on the foot - seems to elevate the widest point of the shoulder as Randy indicated. Were you to bring down the foot, I think the piece would balance better. Very nice piece of wood, and the interior really is neat!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Kathy that is a really nice bowl. I do like the form but agree that and you probably can't now but turn the foot off so it just flows into the base would look better.

[Allan Ferguson]

Really like that wood and the shape.

[Chris Burgess]

Great looking Bowl Kathy. Nice shap and the wood is amazing. Take a good eye to bring that out.

[Jeff Nicol]

Kathy, I love the wood with all the "Scales" on he one side and I am a sucker for some bark and inclusions! I am somewhat in agreement with the others thoughts, but if you turn a jam chuck to reach the inside bottom and use a piece of paper towel or soft cloth to buffer the jam chuck to the bottom, you could put it back between centers and make the base a little smaller and shorter with a little cove around the base for a little embellishment. That would bring it down and give it a floating look as the small foot will create a shadow. Maybe 1/8"+ for the height of the foot would work and about 1/4 the size of the widest point, erring on the small side.


Shape, wood, and finish fine, if you decide to leave it, we all have our tidbits to offer in our critques,


I must have missed the 200 thing, is this a personal goal?

Jeff

[David E Keller]

Mmmmmm... I can almost smell it from here! Neat looking piece! I'm always a sucker for a nice void and a bit of bark! It's probably better that you didn't end up with a rounded bottom... When I've done pieces with voids and rounded bottoms, they sit crooked because of the weight differential.

[Roger Chandler]

Well Kathy, I have looked at this one about 3 times now..........that is an unusually figured piece of wood. I think the foot is necessary for stability, maybe just a little less height on it to make the turning look like it was closer to the table it sits on.

You are doing lovely work...........an my goodness, I think you are a turning machine........you seem to crank out 10 for every one I get done! Keep 'em coming!

[Kathy Marshall]

Thanks for the comments everyone!

I may revisit this shape with another of the olive logs now that I have a better idea of what I would find most pleasing for the bottom shape and foot and the curves in general. As I look at this one, I think it also could have benefitted from a little more curve going from the shoulder to the rim, with possibly a little smaller opening. I let myself go a little too deep to be able to fix the bottom (it's about 1/16") I was concentrating a little to much on the void area to make sure I didn't knock the bark out. I should have taken an interior pic showing the void area. The bark is paper thin (there is no wood backing it on the inside) the void area was actually a depression in the log so it isn't level with the surrounding surface.

Yes David, I love the smell of olive!

Jeff, the reference to 200 regards a request from the tree trimmers I get most of my wood from. She asked me if I could make her some small bowls 3-5" diameter or so, to give to her regular clients at Christmas. I decided it was time to get cracking! I'll be turning just basic bowls, no embelishments, which I can do now in about an hour and will probably go much quicker as I get "in the groove". These would be meant to go on a desk to hold paperclips, business cards or other such. I guess you could call this my 1st commissioned job lol!

Thanks!