"I can't argue that you did a nice job but.... " (by golly, i just love these kind of lead ins
) I see nothing exciting about your design,(you should look a little closer, there's 3 of them, different sizes too. if that isn't exciting, i don't know what is) although it is obvious that the wood is interesting(yep, really nice grain pattern, hard to tell in the pic though) and the shape is a basic simplistic design(reminds me of a hollow form i'd seen back in april of 2009) and perhaps that is your intention.(can't get anything past you, can i?) perhaps so many look-alikes together grouped together distracts from the design,(he can figure out a basic and simplistic design, but he can't spot a production run pic to save his life) I don't know but Dull & Ho-Hum come to mind. (post something exciting, inspire me).
This is my humble opinion and in no way am I trying to insult your efforts(here it comes folks, the insult that isn't an insult) but I think it would be more of an insult to applaud your accomplishments when the applause would be onehanded. (i leave this one to the audience)
Perhaps it will do well in a craft show(i hope so) but If I were to display them, I think I would not group together so many "Clones"(oh silly me, and here i was going to display one of this batch with examples of the ash, cherry, and hickory batches) Perhaps one set at a time. Then it may look unique and inviting.(you know, i feel bad about making these, since stores are just so overstocked with them, and are as common as cat hair) To me, they look like a nice use of scrap...(that was the idea! sort of like making something out of an ugly bit of fire wood. i just cannot get anything past him folks!) not a designed functional art piece.(send forth the word! it has been deemed that three graceful arches is not a design! functional? i guess i threw in the glass cups and candles just for the fun of it. not to be used for mood lighting or any such thing. aren't "art pieces" things people put on shelves and forget they're there?)
just my humble opinion....