Rutilus Flamma!

[John Keeton]

Thanks, guys and gal! I did enjoy making this piece - the wood was a pleasure to work, and hollow, and finishing it was easy. When the frustrating parts are minimized, seems the creativity works better.

Ed, one would think that a little Latin would be familiar to me, but unless it came out of a part of the law - wouldn't know it from German!! I have to look up Double D's titles when he posts them! But, I am guessing that Latin, being the language of Rome, might be pretty close to Italian?!?!? Both are Greek to me!!

If this is what is in your inner self..........I am wondering what has influenced you..........the shapes that somehow got planted in ones mind over decades of living life..........they must to some degree inform what we create.........that would be true of any turner..........I find that aspect fascinating to say the least.

Roger, it seems to me that we turn what we are, and we are what we turn. We become an amalgamation of all to which we have been exposed, and I am trying very hard to let that take me down this path. Like I commented previously, while at AAW, it became quite apparent that I had done what we all do - mimic the work of others. That is fun, one learns a lot in the process, and there certainly is nothing wrong with that. But, it just doesn't fit into where I want to go with this.

You folks will just need to bear with me and withstand the bad, and enjoy the good! It is my hope the good will outweigh the bad.

I don't think the shape of the lid is "quite right" but I am unsure if a stronger cove or a domed lid would appeal more.

...but I would love to see a domed lid that continued the upward sweep at the top of the form.

Here is the scoop on the lid! In my sketching for this piece, I did include a domed lid early on. But, that does exactly as you said, David, it "continues the form" and, at least to me, that threw off the proportions. The "belly" looked way too low. It also left the piece with a bit of a phalic appearance that I did not care for at all.

I have included my final sketch, with some notes that I included for another creeker. It shows my feeble attempts at scaling this piece, and provides a little insight into how I view a turning. Probably all wrong, but at least now you all know how I do things wrongly!!

[Tim Thiebaut]

Well done John, I love the colors in this piece, I wish I could draw something up in advance as you do, just havnt had much luck with that up till now.

[Russ Denz]

John,
+1 on the balloon, +1 on the minaret, i.e. middle eastern influence, and +10 on John Keeton's journey into his inner self (can't be more objective than that). You've found a beautiful place inside; stay there and let it take you even farther, but beware of second-guessing yourself. A rather refreshing change, imho.
Russ

[Michael Mills]

Looks really great to me John.
Thanks for posting the drawing also. The proportions are nice but I really like the note “fair curve touches all protrusions”. As you can tell I know nothing of art/design….or Latin, glad the title did not translate to something about a rats butt on fire.

[steven carter]

Very nice John! The colors may not have been what you saw in you mind, but I thnk they are quite striking! Bottom reminds me of a Hershey's kiss.

Steve

[Sid Matheny]

Well I have to say I love it as it is. Don't see any way to make it any better!


Sid

[Roger Chandler]

Roger, it seems to me that we turn what we are, and we are what we turn. We become an amalgamation of all to which we have been exposed, and I am trying very hard to let that take me down this path.

John,

Your response to my comments begged another question, or set of questions in my mind.........if indeed as you say "we turn what we are and are what we turn" as you have said, then would not this journey be a search of a way to being able to express ourselves? Of course I think the struggle is to be able to first find, and release from within, our "best selves."

Is this truly the quest of an artist.....finding a way to release the true soul within? That would differ for the true artist Vs. the person who just likes the craft for the sake of the craft.

Occasionally, in all mediums one might run across a piece of art in which the artist has revealed not their best self, but perhaps some of the worst of themselves.........i.e. some abstract art that I think show the convoluted nature of primal human depravity. [I could site some examples, but I will, in the interest of decorum and civility, not do that to the readers here]

Are the pieces we turn simply steps up the stairway we climb until the time we can release the true inner soul in an artistic expression?

Hey everybody.........I don't mean to be so esoteric that we lose sight of the practical........I am a thinker, and have always been one who likes to study why we do the things we do.........it is a quest on my part for understanding..........art is a great study on the human condition and expression. Thanks for your indulgence, John and everyone else!

[Ed Morgano]

Roger,
You made my head hurt with that last post.

[Fred Belknap]

John I don't know anything about art but this piece is pleasant to look at.

[John Keeton]

Roger, for some, I think your comments hold true. I don't want to leave the impression that "this path" is for every turner. While I still know very few turners on a personal level, it seems that many of the ones I do know, turn for reasons far different than mine. Some folks turn because it is therapeutic, some turn to produce utilitarian pieces to fill a need - for themselves and others, some turn to test themselves, and I am sure there are some that turn and have never given thought as to why other than it is fun. All of those are valid reasons.

For me, it seems to be different - and, difficult to explain. I have always had a need to accomplish something - call it "type A", OCD, or whatever label one wants to place on it. With flatwork, it included tight hand cut dovetails, working with handplanes, original designs for furniture pieces, and so on.

It was much the same with turning. I felt a need early on to accomplish tool control, then a need to accomplish finishing, then a need to learn "good form", etc. While I still have much to learn in all those areas, I at least reached a modicum of turning skills.

So, what now? Do I just continue to strive for better control, better finishing, better form - or, is there more? Yes to all of those, but for me, there is more - I just need to discover what it is. For others, the quest may be much different.

Different strokes for different folks. I don't proclaim that we all have to travel down the same path - that would be rather boring, I suspect!

[Roger Chandler]

Roger,
You made my head hurt with that last post.

Sorry Ed......

[Tim Rinehart]

Beautiful work John. You really know how to make that figure pop...and the departure from norm still produced a winner. The comments about the pagoda-like finial are right on, I like studying how they are all the same form, but scaled down and stretched progressively to the top. I think that's a nice form. I was looking at a current issue of Woodturning that talks about spindle design, and it's truly the most challenging when it comes to finial design, especially if trying to do something a little different. You certainly know what you're doing with regards to good finial design, as do DD and others...something we all need more practice in.
I will say I'm encourage to see this...I have a piece of mimosa with similar shape in rough form...been staring at it in corner of my shop deciding when I want to rechuck it up... may be sooner than I thought.
Well done execution, as usual for you. Good luck with your digging into yourself part of current journey...we all look forward to what you come up with next.

[Roger Chandler]

So, what now? Do I just continue to strive for better control, better finishing, better form - or, is there more? Yes to all of those, but for me, there is more - I just need to discover what it is.

Bravo!!! As I said earlier.........happy hunting John! I don't know what it is exactly for myself either...........I am pursuing........what.... I am not exactly sure, but I think I will know it when I find it, obtain it, and master it!

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Fantastico,
I like the form but love the finish. Rich coloring and amazing depth. Yet another winner.
faust

[Harvey Ghesser]

Very beautiful, John....