After a career as a refractory metal (molybdenum, niobium) metallurgist I'm using my curiosity about materials to allow my creative side to grow. My bowls use woods from local California trees.
The wood is usually shaped while the moisture content is high, many times from a tree that blew down in a winter storm. Some bowls are turned to a semi-finished shape, allowed to dry and then re-turned for perfect symmetry. Most bowls, however, are turned to shape and allowed to move during drying. During drying, residual stresses in the wood relax to create dynamic shapes. Most bowls are made from locations on a tree that contain high residual stress, near crotches or branches, for maximum movement and grain figuring. For oak bowls, with blue, black or amber colors, I use natural tannin chemistry combining iron with water, vinegar or ammonia to organically produce the colors.
All bowls are food-safe being finished with Tung oil. They can be washed with detergent and water, but not placed in a dishwasher. Occasional rubbing with mineral or salad oil will help preserve the luster of the wood.
Sebastopol, California, abryhan@comcast.net;
See my work at Japonesque Gallery, San Francisco
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