HOLLOW FORM TURNED FROM BUCKEYE BURL

Buckeye and related species are native to the eastern and western United States. Much of it comes from California, hence the botanical name of this species, Aesculus californica. The timber from California and Oregon is not particularly interesting underground, but in its burl (above ground) form, Buckeye more than makes up for this: the wood is soft, with a palette of grays, whites, blacks, beiges, and some brown and orange. This all comes all from the oxidizing of underground minerals the burl has absorbed. The patterns that are generated by these colors are simply spectacular, like no other burl wood in the world.  The variations and shapes in the figure are endlessly fascinating. (There are also a couple of places where the natural colors of the Buckeye have been enhanced with iron oxide.)

Hollow form turning is one of the greatest technical challenges for a woodturner: here the entire contents of the vessel have been removed through the 0.5” hole in the top!

4" dia x 3" high

All proceeds from all sales of woodturnings support famine relief in Darfur and provision of assistance to women and girls  victimized by genocidal sexual violence