Mess of spoons 2

Here is the last of the inventory, plus a couple of newer ones. The theme here is walnut, and really brings to light that I need lay off the walnut for a while.

Front to back

123 - Walnut serving spoon
124 - Walnut ladle
125 - Walnut soup spoon
126 - Sprout in walnut (reminds me of a newly sprouted seed)
127 - flower bud (small spoon inspired by flower bulbs)

Netsuke

Here a picture of another woodcarving hobby of mine. It is more of a winter thing, or when the inspiration hits me.

A very short history: Back in Feudal Japan you where not allowed to show your wealth or status openly (not a bad idea if your ask me). Anyway, kimono where all the rage in fashion and had no pockets. So a small purse like item was hung from the wearer's belt (called sagemono or inro). The Netsuke keep it from slipping off the belt (obi). The decorative bead at the end was to close the inro and the it is called an ojime. My take on the cord that attached all of this is an ancient Japanese braiding technique called kumihimo. They consist of braided silk using 16 - 32 strands (you can do more!). Enough history.

Needless to say I use very small tools to carve these items and they take a long time to complete. Each one is about 1 1/2" high.

Mess of spoons

Here is a collection of spoons from prior to my inventory process. They where all at a small art gallery in south Lincoln. Unfortunately, it recently closed and thus my influx. I also have spoons in a another gallery in downtown Lincoln (So Oh). This is a new venture for me so we will see how it materializes. Anyhow from front to back:

119 - Oak saute. This is the boat oar shape that is perfect for stir fry
120 - Lacewood Tulip. Spoon carved as flower.
121 - Tulipwood fork. Hard to get wood. Expensive, but beautiful.
122 - Walnut Tulip Salad set

118 - Sugar toad

Walnut and poplar together to create the seldom seen and rare sugar toad.

117 - Shallow Ash Ladle

Here is a small ladle I carved from ash. It was cut from a ugly piece of firewood that had been sitting outside for an unknown number of years. The wood had a natural bend to it being a slice of crotch (where the trunk and a branch meet). I rather like it and it is staying with me.

116 - Jester in Yellowheart

Here is a new one that I have only done a few of... This picture does not show the nice sweeping overall shape of the spoon. I think I need to build a light box this week.

The jester name was inspired from the first carving I did of this general shape. It reminded me of a jester's hat and the name stuck.

This spoon is carved in Yellowheart from Brazil. It is pretty obvious where the name comes from and the yellow color is striking. Yellowheart is very hard and strong. It required that I break out the mallet and larger tools. The results are always the same - beautiful.

A quick word about me

I am trying to use this blog to document my various carving. My focus is on art that can be used everyday. I started as a woodworker, but over the years I found carving and that is my primary focus. I like to vary my carving between walking sticks, spoons, and Netsuke. I am not a fan of power tools, and all of my carvings are hand made. I sell my spoons in a couple of art galleries around town.

I live in Nebraska, and when I am not carving I work as a IT Business analyst. I have a wife, and son, and a house. I am also a closet hippie, love to ride my bicycle to stick it to the man, and dream of living on an island someday carving spoons for tourist and slowing fading away... enjoy - rod

Here is an not so great shot of myself. Taken by myself.

114 and 115 Tulip Salad sets in Lacewood

These are a continuation of the popularity of my Tulip Salad sets. It must be wedding season... They are carved in Lacewood, native to Australia and South America. This wood always produces a beautiful spoon. The grain pattern is awesome and it carves well with hand tools. Can you tell I like this wood? Anyway, enjoy - rod

112 and 113 Oak Forks

I have been continuing my experiments with carving forks. I really enjoy the challenge of creating a fork that can be used in the kitchen, and still be elegant. The challenge is making tines that are both functional and beautiful. The first is left rough showing all of the knife marks. The second is smooth and I added a few ladybugs to the handle for fun. That will be all the forks for a while as I have the urge to carve some ladles.

July 2007 Snake Cane

I Think it was July of 2006 that I made my first cane beginning this venture of creating art to be used everyday. This particular cane was made for a fellow programmer (retired) and to be given to a relative of his. It is carved from a poplar log, and finished with Shellac and wax. He did not want a cane that stood out so we muted the snake with no finish and I did not carve in the individual scales. This left the essence of what make a snake. Overall, I am very satisfied with the results. The pictures did not turn out too good, still learning...

111 - Catalpa Ladle

Catalpa is a great wood to carve. I carves like butter and has a nice earthy feel to it. I quite like the brown color and open grain pattern. It is not the strongest wood, so I tend to make them a little bit thick. Just to be clear, I offer a guarantee on all the spoons I carve. I will always replace an item that breaks with normal use. Back to Catalpa. It has a good story behind it. It is thought to be a misspelling on a Native American name Catawba meaning tribal totem. It is pretty neat to think that some of the same techniques and uses can be traced back hundreds of years. Today Catalpa can be found growing in temperate areas of the US.

110 - Tulipwood saute

I had just enough Tulipwood to make a oar shaped stir-fry utensil. The oar shape is pleasing to the eye and works like nothing else. It along with the Tulip Salad Tongs are a couple of my signature pieces. I sell quite a lot of both items for gifts and wedding sets. The Tulipwood really make this one pop.

109 - Walnut Ladle

Here is a nice walnut ladle I have been working on for a while. The shape is a unexpected, but I like it. Carving deep bowls is a challenge and take a lot of work. This particular walnut is native to Nebraska and is from a log given to me from a friend.

108 - Tulipwood Fork

I have been playing around with the an old fork pattern from a neighbor and wanted to give it the royal treatment. For me that is Tulipwood. It is native to Brazil and relative of the Rosewood family. The tree does not grow very large, but perfect for spoons and such. It is one of the few woods that I think is prettier before any finish is applied. It has pink and creamy white swirls throughout. The oil turn it to yellow and fire red; which is still beautiful. It is my favorite funky wood to carve, but is hard to come by.

Tools, Tools, Tools

Here a quick look at the tools I use most frequently. The 2 handled contraption is a draw knife and used to rough out the spoon blank. The reddish tool is a Japanese spokeshave used to refine the lines and smooth out the handle. At the bottom is a Japanese carving tool used for general shaping and creating the spoon bowl. The small handplane is used for the creating a nice recessed curve like those in the salad sets. Lastly, an old carving knife. Of course there are a few other tools that come out of the bag, but these are the ones I could not live without...enjoy

Shaving Horse

Here is a picture of the current shaving horse that I am using to create spoons and to a lessor extent canes and walking sticks. It is small and light so that it can be taken to various places to carve. It is oak and walnut since that is what I had available. The snake on the from is carved from a log and serves as a nice conversation starter. - enjoy

You can see it is not finished all of the way, and it continues to evolve weekly.

107 - Purpleheart salad set

Here is another set I did on commission to be given as a wedding gift. Purpleheart is very beautiful wood, and very nasty to carve. I had forgot how much I loved working with it when I agreed to carve the set. Anyhow, they turned out very nice, and will probably be the last set in this wood. Purpleheart is found in Mexico and Central America. It is dark gray when first just, but oxidizes to a vivid purple color shortly after that. It is stunning to look at, but not real friendly to hand tools

106 - Tulip salad set in walnut

If I have a signature piece this is it. These are salad mixing tongs carved like tulip flowers. I added a smaller spoon to this set for dressings and other related items. I sell a number of these to be used as wedding gifts. This set turned out so well, I had a hard time giving it up. The walnut is from Nebraska (a big log I have been working on). Like all my other spoons the colors and patterns are natural - no dyes or stains are used. I go to great lengths to obtain wood with interesting and striking grain patterns.

105 - Jumper

Here is an interesting spoon of walnut and poplar. I like to carve small items (Netsuke) and this type of carving allows me to explore the area with the spoons. I wanted to show the frog at the waters edge which I accomplished to my satisfaction here.

104 - Redheart Server

Here is wanted to explore a bowl with a more organic shape. Readheart is a beautiful wood and the red and black grain pattern is quite nice. Redheart is native to Central America with the botanical name Erythroxylon spp. It's bright colors will fade with time, but some of my examples are years old and still look new. All of the my spoons can be used in the kitchen or displayed. If they used they will age, but an application of mineral oil will make them new again. That leads to how I make spoons. I hand carve the spoons using a shaving horse, and various carving knives. I finish spoons in various ways. For a more rustic and natural appearance I oil the spoon and call it done. Other woods are scraped, and sometime I have to sand. Irregardless each spoon ends up unique and a one of a kind.

Great spoon - eh. I thought I snapped a pic, but I will need to go down to the art gallery and take one this weel before it sells (if it sells)

103 - Ash Invasion

This started out a a particularly interesting piece of firewood. I started carving and quickly realized something else had gotten to it first. I am not sure of the insect, but I could do no better then to showcase their work. This spoons took quite awhile to carve so as to not destroy the various holes and tunnels in the wood. I think it turned out well.

102 - Lacewood Saute

Lacewood is one of the most stunning woods in nature. The grain pattern is awesome and it is easily worked with hand tools. Since all of my spoons are carved by hand this gets to be important. Lacewood also called Silky oak is found in South America and Australia. This particular item has a nice shape and features a 16 strand Kumihimo braid. This Japanese braiding technique has been used for centuries and can be traced back to ancient Netsuke found in Feudal Japan.

101 - Walnut stirring spoon

Here is a long slender spoon carved from Nebraska walnut. It is perfect for stirring soups, or just hanging in the kitchen looking beautiful. The braided cord is an 8 strand Kumihimo braid from Japan (yes I braided it myself). Like all my spoons they are treated with a natural nut oil called Preserve. It is organic and food safe.

100 - Ash Ladle

This is particular spoon was made from the crotch of a tree branch lost in a tornado. The grain curved to allow for a nice bowl. The spoon is much prettier in person. I need to work on my photo abilities sooner then later.

Private collection

It has been a while

So like many blogs, I had good intentions, but never followed through. One thing I did do was to continue to carve. I faded away from canes for awhile and did some Netsuke carving. Then as the holidays approached in 2006 I discovered spoons. I was looking to make some gifts to take to parties and one thing led to another. Now in July of 2007 I have made and sold somewhere close to 100 spoons. I got hooked up at a couple of art galleries here in town and they sell as many of them as I can make. I have carved so many spoons that I have lost track of some of them. I plan to number and document them here for the time being.

rod