Red Maple Bark Edged Bowl (23SF17) SOLD

The red maple wood used to make this bowl came from Grand Marais, MN. Red maple, also known as swamp maple or soft maple, is one of the most common and widespread deciduous trees of eastern and central North America. It is rarely seen as far north as Grand Marais. This tree was old and taken down due to decay and its closeness to a home. The wood carved nicely but the softer areas showed some tear out which was mostly sanded smooth. The sap wood is cream colored (almost white with a little curl figuring) but showed some interesting dark boat and duck shaped markings, especially in the lighter sap wood just under the bark. These marks appear in all this red maple wood. They could have been caused by insects or bird pecking during the growth of the tree. The heart wood has a beautiful red brown color and appears mainly in the bottom of the bowl. There are also interesting dark markings in the heart wood, giving the bowl a great appearance. The center or pith of the tree was just below the bottom of the bowl. The wood was turned green and did not crack on drying under controlled conditions. I always try to preserve the bark on bowls because my goal is to show the complete beauty of the wood. Bark is an important part of the tree. This bark was solid and red brown in color. It nicely contrasts with the lighter sap wood in the bowl. This bowl was turned using handheld tools on a lathe from green wood, dried for several months, and sanded to 400 grit. Wood that is turned green will always warp as it dries. This adds a natural quality to the bowl, but also requires the bottom to be re-turned so the bowl sits well. The bowl was sealed with two coats of tung oil, hand sanded after each coat, and finished with a buffed thin coat of beeswax and walnut oil. This finish is considered food safe so this bowl can be used to serve or display food, although it is best used as an artistic piece. The bowl is stable and should last for hundreds of years and improve gracefully with age.

 

 

 

All my bowls are can be returned for a full refund if you are unsatisfied for any reason within 60 days. You must only pay the return shipping.

All of my bowls come with a laminated card with images of the bowl and burl, a complete description of the bowl and making process, and the artist's bio on the back side. There is no price on the card so it can be used if the bowl is given as a gift.