Category Archives: Techniques

techniques for turning, texturing, embellishment, you name it

Kumihimo

I recently learned a Japanese braiding technique called kumihimo, using eight strands. The notched foam disk and the plastic bobbins make the process very simple and portable. This is my first project. I’m excited about the prospect of combining some … Continue reading

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Thursday, July 19

We are really in production mode now. Except for a brief meeting with Albert and Jane about scheduling and shop rules, we all just worked. I wish I were as fast as these guys, but I gave up trying to … Continue reading

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Tuesday, July 17

Today was a fairly quiet, intensive work day. Lesya came in not to dance but to carve waves for Siegfried’s collaborative wave piece. Sadly, there were misunderstandings early on in the communication process for this collaboration, and Sean and Jean-François … Continue reading

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Friday, July 13

Siegfried had cast a thin cement bowl with Peter the previous day, using Styrofoam for the form and cement fortified with acrylic “milk,” and it was ready to be opened. Peter used lacquer thinner to dissolve the Styrofoam. It doesn’t … Continue reading

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Mark Sfirri’s studio and home (Sunday, July 8)

Mark has a Oneway with two bed extensions, allowing him to turn pieces up to 13 feet long. The farthest extension runs under the table in the background. Mark does a lot of off-center and inside-out turning. Here is a … Continue reading

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Friday, July 6

The atmosphere in the shop is very playful. Everyone is engaged in a fresh way. Sean’s work is as unpredictable as ever. This morning he had cut beads into the exterior of the osage orange piece on the lathe. Later, … Continue reading

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Thursday, July 5

Yesterday and today were big days for Jean-François. Here is what I found on Jean-François’s workbench this morning. He has had the idea for cement bowls in his mind for five years now. Beginning yesterday, he is seeing his vision … Continue reading

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Tuesday, June 26

Okay, I’m beginning to try to catch up. I didn’t feel well enough to turn today, but I did make it into the shop, and here is what I found. Sean was carving on a new bowl, from a walnut … Continue reading

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Wednesday, June 20

This may be my last blog post for a few days. Jean-François, Siegfried, and I leave for Washington, D.C., tomorrow and will be gone through Sunday. We will be visiting with several collectors of wood art: the Kochmans, the Breslers … Continue reading

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Monday, June 18

Today, Siegfried began a larger vessel of the same shape as the silver maple vessel, this one of box elder. He was shooting ribbons to the ceiling turning the very wet wood. When he began deep hollowing of the vessel, … Continue reading

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