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Archive for wood

Morris Young – Wood Turner? Or not.

By Station Gallery
 on July 1, 2016
 with no comments

As a wood turner I am always in search of unique wood to turn and in my last blog I spoke about where I get some of my wood.  As an artist I’m always exploring different materials to turn to able to create something special and unique. I will touch on four of these materials.

The banksia nut or pod comes from Australia’s Bull Banksia tree.  The pods are considered the fruit remains of the flower head.  Once the nut has been dried it becomes very hard or woody.  Banksia nuts range from 4-16 inches long.  I use banksia nuts to create unique vases, small dishes, balls, furit and  lidded boxes.  Turning the nut is somewhat messy.  The nut is very hard and does not turn or carve like wood (shaving) but rather more like scraping which becomes vey dusty.  Tools need to be sharpened often and I wear a mask to save my lungs.  Sanding and finishing is a much easier process.

Banksia in flower
banksia pod
Banksia – Carved

Tagua nuts are the seed of the ivory palm tree found in South America.  For many decades, tagua has been used as a substitute for elephant ivory and is sometimes known as vegetable ivory.  The nuts are about the size of a chestnut and provide challenges turning vases and lidded boxes. The challenge is that in its inner core, the tagua has voids.  Once I have the nut attached to my lathe, which can be a little tricky, I turn the outside profile.  Sometimes I cut into a void and I need to reconsider what I am doing or it goes to the burn bucket. Unlike the hard, dusty banksia nut, turning tagua nuts is a pleasure.  My chisels carve thin white shavings which seem to go on forever.

Ivory Palm Tree
Tagua Nut
Items from Tagua

Antlers from deer and moose that have been found on the forest floor are used to make pens, vases and small dishes. Like the banksia nut, antlers are very hard and I need to sharpen my tools often. There is minimal dust but when turning, you may think you’re in an abattoir due to the odor from cutting into the antler.

Deer Antler
Items from Antler
Vase from Antler

I have turned acrylic to make pens which I found out quickly is not my favourite material. Basically it stinks. Turning it is somewhat ok but sanding it smells like burning plastic. Sanding acrylic you need to use 1000 – 1500 grit to have a good finish as with wood you may need 400 – 600 grit to have a decent finish.

Acrylic Block
Acrylic Pen


So I guess you should be calling me a Turner rather than a Wood Turner …..or not.

In categories Artists, carving, wood turning Tagged with acrylic, antler, banksia nut, tagua, turning, wood with no comments

Finding the Spirit in the Wood

By Marys
 on May 16, 2014
 with no comments

Bill van Koot carvingWith the exception of my ornaments, all of the carvings are done on old cedar rails or fallen wood that I have found while walking in the woods behind our home or on wood scouting expeditions at the property of friends. It may have cracks or knots in it – sometimes only uncovered once I begin to carve – and this is one of the things that help to make each individual piece of wood so interesting.

The size and shape of the wood will often dictate whether it will become a Wood Spirit, a Fairy House, or a face of another kind. I enjoy seeing the character that begins to emerge while I carve and it is this character that seems to draw people to a particular piece. There may be some similarities, but every one is unique and one of a kind. They look terrific both inside or out; in the garden or on a wall or table.

I have also had people bring me interesting pieces of wood that they already have, with requests to turn it in to a Fairy House or Wood Spirit.

I’ll be at the Fenelon Gallery this summer, check out the calendar to see when I’m on duty.  You can also experience some of my work by visiting my web site at www.caygeonwoodspirits.com

In categories Artists Tagged with bill van koot, carving, fairies, fenelon, gallery, ornaments, station, wood with no comments

Turning Wooden Flowers

By Marys
 on April 21, 2014
 with no comments

If you have been following previous articles (blogs) that I have written, you know that my wife Barb has the spousal right to abscond just about anything that I create. Last year she managed to claim an oak bowl and I was faced with the challenges of making fruit. Barb continues to make claim on what fancies her but this article mainly addresses the ongoing support and encouragement I continually receive from her. If you have noticed, I really enjoy turning vases and as you know, wood and water really are not that compatible. So, my initial vases were mainly ornamental or would contain a dried flower arrangement. Since Barb is an avid gardener she wanted wooden vases that would hold freshly cut flowers from her garden. With some trial and error I have managed to make some of my vases to hold inserts, enabling fresh flowers to be put safely into a wooden vase.

Several years ago, Betty Wilkinson (a good friend of Barb’s family since about the 30’s) and one of the founding members of the Fenelon Station Gallery started growing straw flowers for my vases. She taught me how to wire the flowers together and make a nice bouquet for my vases. (Indecently, Betty was the main reason I am at the Fenelon Gallery today). Anyway, since Barb is the avid gardener she attempted to grow straw flowers but with limited success. We tend to lack the required sunshine, so living in a forest has it’s draw backs.

Turned flowers in a cedar vase

Turned flowers in a cedar vase

With some research and a lot of experimentation I have developed a technique of turning discarded branches into flowers. I use aniline dyes to give the flowers color and use the skills that Betty taught me to put a wire stem on each flower. I was so excited that at the very next Kawartha Wood Turning Guild meeting I turned a small vase and a bouquet of dyed flowers for the Show and Tell table. When Art (the president of the club) held up my piece, he asked who had turned the vase. I indicated it was not the vase I was showing but the turned flowers in it. Out of a group of 75 wood turners not one realized that the flowers were turned from wood. Not only the Guild, but also my customers think that the flowers are indeed straw flowers. Now I keep a sample of a flower still attached to the branch from which it was turned to show how it was done.

Well since that time, I continue to experiment with different species of wood. Maple is my main source but I am starting to use sumac and not using any dyes. The variations between the sap wood and heart wood give an appealing contrast.

To date, I have given seminars in Peterborough, Barrie and Toronto along with private sessions to individuals and (can you believe this?)  I even get paid for doing something I love doing.

In categories Artists Tagged with flowers, Morris, straw, turning, wood, Young with no comments

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