Beyond wood

 During the past few years, I have been striving to go beyond a work done from a single piece of wood, and this can be a challenge as one of the main attractions of the lathe is that you can do an entire project right from one piece of wood. That was what helped lure me away from furniture making. I no longer stressed over getting the perfect fit for the many joints to be fit together, and could complete projects in much less time.  Of course once I became used to this one piece mode, it became hard to break out of it.

 When I was invited to participate in the Tea Pot Exhibition for the American Association of Woodturners Symposium in Hartford in 2010, I put a great deal of thought into what my teapot would be. I did research and discovered just how artistic they can be. As weeks passed and I created sketches, I realized that they just did not represent me as an artist. Understanding that I was chosen for a reason made it obvious that I had to do what I do best. Something with an organic feel, and somewhat primitive.

  My vision of a solitary woodsman living as one with nature began to form. He needs only a single cup to drink from, carved perhaps from a burl. The lid turns upside down to serve as a funnel to gather the rain or dew. 

  To become a complete work, it felt like it needed more. The woodsman could not have his tea without a stove. A salvaged slate supported by rocks over a small campfire was the fitting solution. It is something that could be easily created wherever he traveled. There was no need to replicate those surfaces in wood. Not everything in a work of art needs to be man made. The twigs were torched, while the rocks, slate and cup were dirtied up with charcoal. For the final bit of reality, tea leaves were sprinkled in the cup. 

  At the end of the exhibition, all pieces were auctioned off and Tea for the Woodsman became part of the Kamm collection. The largest teapot collection in the world. 

Creation of this piece has led me to explore alternative materials into my creations and has opened up  unlimited possibilities. There are no real boundaries, only those which we place upon ourselves. Never be afraid to explore new concepts, and have fun on the journey!