chip carved river birch bowl

The wood for this piece came from trees thinned from a property between Winthrop and Mazama, WA. The grain has an interesting if subtle interplay of light sapwood with gradations of dark heartwood, along with some reddish growth rings.

There are many intriguing details in this piece. The rim has been left intact from the initial extraction of the bowl blank from the log, leaving sings of the saw teeth and an undulating rim.

The exterior has been chip carved and then painted with milk paint. Black paint highlights separations between the chip carved scoops. The entire carved surface was undercoated in barn red to give emphasis to the chip carved spots. The resulting texture beacons the eye and invites touch--this is a highly tactile piece. 

This vessel is suitable for food service, or could simply be a display piece to set off a table.

9-1/2" x 3-1/4".