Fluted Vase
Mesquite with Turquoise
24"H x 13"Dia
 

This piece was fashioned from a mesquite log measuring 17" in diameter and 30" long from Goliad County, Texas. I first turned the log on a wood lathe to create the basic shape that I wanted, leaving enough wood to carve the ruffles, which begin at the top of the vase and cascade into the bottom, flowing outward. All large mesquite logs have internal cracks and wind checks that I try to incorporate into the design. Sometimes I inlay Turquoise into the cracks to enhance the piece. The original concept was to carve the wood in a way that would make it resemble fabric that had been gathered in the middle, leaving ruffles forming the foot and the mouth of the vase. As the carving progressed, it became more flower like. That’s what I like about woodturning and carving--sometimes I decide where I want to go with the design, but most of the time the wood tells me where to go.