Tuesday 4 October 2011

A few more

Most of my time at the moment is being spent as previously mentioned finishing pieces that have been on the shelf for a while. Here are some more that have been finished in the last few days.

A few pictures include pieces seen before but I have been experimenting with my camera trying out new ideas in relation to taking a few more interesting photo's for my web site.

The below two forms are sycamore, 140 mm dia x 130 mm high with anjan lids, finials and silver beads.



 This one is again sycamore and has been buffed with no top finish as yet being applied. It is ready to have the lid and finial made which will be over the next few days. It measures 200mm high x 190 mm dia.






2 comments:

Lee Robert Sneddon said...

Every piece has been created by a master, as a stuggling pupil I am honoured that you have taken an interest in my work, if I can soak up a fraction of your skills I will be a better turner.

Mark said...

Hi Lee

Thank you for your kind words.

Not sure about the master bit as we are all students at different steps of a journey.

When I started turning it took me a long time to get anywhere near producing a decent shaped bowl. Certainly in the time you have been turning you have accomplished more than I did within the same time frame.

This is why I enjoy helping people by passing on my knowledge so that others don't spend the time as I did on as many mistakes. Turning like any other subject is not out of reach if we understand the language.

Too much enphasis is placed on tool technique and not enough time spent understanding about creativity, form and design. I think this in part is down to the old school mind set and the fear of not feeling valued. Doesn't matter how good you are with the tools if what you are producing with them is poor design or form, mastering only the tools then means little, other than that you have dedicated to much time to one aspect of the whole craft.

While safe tool technique is of course important, being able to roll a perfect bead with a skew is not a measure of someones skill.

It is only a fraction of the whole picture with its only roll being to get to the end result. Once acheived is not considered by anyone other than a turner.

There are no secrets just attention to detail in everything we do, from the most basic roughing cut to the line we are trying to acheive. Our minds are our greatest tool and as you know will absorb more info than we could ever use.

It takes time and lots of practice but I believe that if we pay real attention to all we do, then we can all produce the work we want.