I sometimes paint my bowls with an egg and oil emulsion paint but have always loved the look of Jarrod’s milk painted bowls, I was very keen to see how he did them. He has experimented a lot with various home made milk paints but is currently using a prepared lime caesin powder. This is mixed with water and pigment…
This is an ale bowl, a fairly plain one but one which I think is really special. The area of Wisconsin where I am staying was settled by many Scandinavians, when they came here they brought with them some portable family heirlooms and amongst those are often old ale bowls. What is exciting is that local turners are rediscovering that…
I first read about North House Folk School several years ago when I discovered their website. It seemed like an inspirational place for the teaching of traditional crafts and I marked it down as a place I needed to visit one day. The opportunity finally presented itself and last week I taught a bowlturning class there.It’s a great facility right…
I am Wisconsin to learn and share. We have a had a brief break from canoe building work to get ready for the bowl turning course I am teaching at North House Folk School. We visited Jarrod’s friend Mike to borrow his well equipped blacksmith workshop and to forge a bunch of tools for the students to use. I’ll be…
“The wooden bowl changed everything. The sound of a spoon on a wooden porridge bowl is gentle, comforting and homely.” Nigel Slater If you have not yet experienced just how wonderful it is eating from a wooden bowl and fancy giving it a try have a look in the bowl shop section of the website here.
Is it fair game to copy the work of traditional craftspeople because their work is traditional rather than their own artistic invention? I actually encourage folk learning craft to copy good work as a way of mastering skills. I see this as a bit like learning to play music by playing other people’s songs. The Rolling Stones learnt their craft…
Crispin is working with me this month as part of his Prince’s Foundation building craft apprenticeship In his previous career he was a product photographer, a chance I could not pass up so not only has he been taking some great product shots for me he has been showing me how he does it too. Here are some of the…
I made this bowl way back in 1996 yet I can still remember exactly where the alder tree came from, what it felt like to work, where and how much I sold it for and I can also remember who bought the other bowl that was made from the other half of the log it came from. But I can’t…
Last night and this morning I have been writing an essay on my response to an art exhibition titled “Robin Wood’s Cores Recycled”, it was quite an enjoyable if slightly self indulgent experience. The exhibition is a collection of pieces by some of the best wood artists in the world and as a starting point they were all given one…
I have long admired the work of photographer Nick Hand and I was thrilled when he agreed to come and take photographs of my work and workshop for me. You will see Nick’s work throughout the website but I feel they are worthy of a gallery showing all together on their own.
