Spalted Beech Bark Bowl

Man Gazing at Sunset Beside his Cliff Side Cottage

This would be the title I would give this if it were a painting.  This turned out to be an amazing bowl.  The Markings on the inside of the bowl struck me as looking like a man wearing a cap, sitting looking forward and with a little imagination the circular patterns of the wood grain opposite him look like the sun setting.  As I looked around the bowl I couldn't believe how much the area around the bark almost looked like it was a painting on the bowl.  To me it looked like a cut rock cliff face in the dark shadow of late evening, a small cottage nestled in the distance with a wisp of smoke coming from the chimney, and small dark cloud hovering above it.  What can I say, I have a great imagination and I think there is a story to this bowl... 

I always love to turn spalted beech because the end result is always very different.  The Inky  markings of the spaltedness are completely unique, almost like the woods own finger print. .

The common name Beech comes from the "Norse" Buche or Bok which also means book. A straight and lofty tree the Beech belongs to the same family as the Oak.  The light, brown, hard and heavy timber is close and even in texture, with a fine silky grain, making it strong and durable,sending its roots deep into the earth.