Birdseye on Pedestal, Please Comment

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687
Location
Harvey, Michigan
During the month of June there will be a Juried Art Exhibition at the Northern Michigan University DeVos Art Museum. The contest is open to all artists in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota that live North of the 45th Parallel. You are allowed to enter up to 6 pieces and the deadline for entries is March 1st. I thought I would enter this along with a few hollow forms and bowls.

Wanted to get this out in front of everyone first and get their opinions. I know there are a number of folks on this site that enter juried shows and I'm hoping to pick up some pointers. Also, with a typical art piece you get to name it – I am open to suggestions.

The hollow form is curly birdseye maple (endgrain) and is 5” diameter x 2 ¾” high. The pedestal and finial are out of cherry and have been stained with Watco light walnut to enhance the grain. Everything has been sanded to 400 grit and has multiple coats of wipe on/wipe off gloss poly. The height with finial in place is close to 12 ¾”.

HF#15 V1.JPG HF#15 V2.JPG HF#15 V3.JPG

I appreciate your input!

Thanks for looking! :wave:
 
Steve, that is awesome! Well Done. :thumb: I like the light walnut stain on the cherry. The birds eye really pops too. Can't help with the juried show input, but I know I will ask you for pointers in the future since this will for sure get into the show.
 
Wowsers, Steve. :eek: I have nothing to offer in the way of suggestions. That's a simply gorgeous piece, Steve. Everything looks absolutely right to me. :clap:
 
Hmmm like putting an elephant on a 2x2. :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Seriously Steve it is a beautiful work and I am sure that there is nothing that anyone can say against it. I am in awe of your talent :bow::bow::bow: I hope that you don't mind me asking you for pointers in the future.
 
Steve, stunning piece of work. Don't have experience with exhibitions, I'm just a turner for my own fun, and my family.
 
Wanted to get this out in front of everyone first and get their opinions.

The hollow form is curly birdseye maple (endgrain) and is 5” diameter x 2 ¾” high. The pedestal and finial are out of cherry and have been stained with Watco light walnut to enhance the grain. Everything has been sanded to 400 grit and has multiple coats of wipe on/wipe off gloss poly. The height with finial in place is close to 12 ¾”.

View attachment 17863 View attachment 17864 View attachment 17865

I appreciate your input!

Thanks for looking! :wave:

Hi Steve :wave:,
I am not a qualified turner so take my comments with a grain of sand.
Your work on this piece is quite beautiful. It takes judging to a higher level, one beyond nice shape and good contrast of woods.

I like the delicateness of the finial, the stand, and the body of maple is quite nice.

It looks like you tried but did not achieve the duplication of curve occuring on the finial and the stand. That curve I refer to is moving past the foot to the neck and then you come out and up around towards a thinning. It looks like the base goes in a wee bit more then up. The finial seems to taper more gently. I don't know if any of this is relevant.

It is a very beautiful piece just as it is.
Shaz :)
 
Thanks everyone for your kind comments!

Shaz - your comments are right on the money and exactly what I am looking for. I tried to have the pedestal and finial mirror each other and thought I had it pretty close. I agree that the finial has more of a gentle taper and it is probably worth the effort to re-work it a little. Thanks for the input!
 
Thanks everyone for your kind comments!

Shaz - your comments are right on the money and exactly what I am looking for. I tried to have the pedestal and finial mirror each other and thought I had it pretty close. I agree that the finial has more of a gentle taper and it is probably worth the effort to re-work it a little. Thanks for the input!
Hi Steve :wave:,
Thank you for the positive reception of my input. It is already a piece way beyond my capabilites. Good luck with the show!
Shaz :)
 
What a beautiful piece, Steve. The woods compliment each other perfectly and I love the delicate look.

I do agree that the pedestal doesn't quite mirror the finial...the finial has a more delicate taper but the overall symetry is great.

For names, "Birdseye View" was the first thing that came to mind. Then I realized that the entire piece reminded me of "Cloud City" on the planet Bespin from the Star Wars movie "The Empire Strikes Back."

Your skills are improving with every piece you complete and are on a very high plane, now. Keep the inspiring pics coming.
 
Steve, that is a real beauty, way above my skill level, good luck with it!

Now, if I were to put my nitpickers judge hat on, I'd have to comment on a couple of things.

The piece is well done for sure, top of the class, and the actual hollow forum is VERY nice, love the shape and the wood, WELL DONE SIR! :clap:

My nitpicking would come on the stand and the finial. You certainly have come very close to a mirror image of the two, which is very nice and I can only imagine how hard that was to do, but my point will be about the shape of the finial and the stand. The shape of the hollow form is a nice full curve, shapely and luxurious, something that just begs to be held. The finial and the stand are not shapely and curvaceous, they are both made up of rather sharp angles, from what I can see.

steves_cloud_city.jpg
In the pic above, I've placed arrows on the areas where I think, a curve would make the piece more appealing, as the finial and the stand kind of contrast the HF.

Just my opinion, but you did ask, so I'm giving it to you.

Cheers!
 
Thanks again everyone for all the input!

Stu - I asked for comment on this piece to find out if the different elements work together or not. The angles you refer to were actually intended and were supposed to seperate smaller curves on the foot and finial that mirrored the hollow form. As with any angles in turning - some folks will like them - some will not. I appreciate your input!

Frank - only had one blow up on me while I was parting it off! You know how it goes - I was using the skew and doing one heck of a nice job and thought to myself - I think I got this skew down........... BAM! Yup, won't say that on the next one!
 
Personally I think that the fact that the finial and base are darker wood is enough, ebonising would be dramatic but may well override the birds eye markings.

I like the way that the base is actiually heavier looking than the finial making the whole thing bottom heavy. Gives it a feeling of solidity without spoiling the delicateness. Does that make sense to anyone else:huh: I know what I mean.....I think

Pete
 
This is a beautiful piece. Good luck at the show. I am sure the judges will have a tough time finding anything wrong with it.

I don't have a problem with the shape of the finial but find that the bottom of the stand's stem does not relate to the rest of the piece. It does not have a flowing shape.
 
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