Beauty in a bowl.....

My co-worker's uncle, Wayne Turner, made this lovely bowl from some jackpine burl wood.  Such interesting shapes and swirls to the grain...and this fellow is just learning the art of wood turning.  (We thought he should change is name to Wood.....as in Wood Turner.....).

Here is a bit about this type of wood and the reason is is prized by wood turners.

"Burl wood is a type of wood used by artists to create sculptures and other items, such as clocks and even some forms of furniture. It is highly prized by artists because of its unique shapes and ring patterns. Burl wood is a type of fast growing, abnormal growth found on some trees. Burl wood grows because the tree has experienced some sort of environmental stress or damage. This is often caused by either a fungal attack or an attack by insects.

When used in woodcrafting, burl wood is removed from the tree, preferably after the tree has already died in order to avoid killing the tree. It is then cut open in order to review the pattern inside. Sometimes, a single burl wood offshoot can produce several different pieces for an artist to work with.


Some burl wood offshoots develop regular growth rings that simply grow at an accelerated rate. This type of burl wood is not as sought after by artists as other forms of burl wood, because the patterns on this wood are not as interesting to look at. The majority of woodworking artists prefer burl wood that grows in irregular patterns that swirl and contain what are referred to as eyes – small spots that develop on the wood. While pieces with unusual patterns are the most desired form of burl wood, they are also the most difficult to work with. This is because the irregular patterns of burl wood make it harder to saw, chisel, and cut without splitting the wood or accidentally cutting it in the wrong direction."

Thought you would be interested in having a look at this lovely piece of art by someone who is just learning the craft.  Beautiful.  Simply beautiful!!