A little bit more competition in the Advanced category. Seven entrants and we will kick off with Joe O’Neill. Joe's two pieces are a great example of a functional project and the ultimate example of the gift that keeps on giving. As we see all the young fledglings exploring our gardens, this bird feeder gives us the choice of admiring the woodturning and the wildlife.
Cecil Barron has entered this fine Cherry bowl. The back-story however is tragic, as the tree has lay for the past 14 years before Cecil recovered its corpse. The story goes that it was killed after a collision with a combined harvester. It is assumed that the tree was stationary at the time. The identity of the driver has been withheld on the advice of my solicitors. As can be expected, after such a long time lying in the field, the wood had become quite rotten. Cecil tells me that along with careful turning it is held together with superglue, prayers and three dowels.
Tony Hartney has turned a very nice bowl. He thinks that it is Lime, it sits at approximately 8 inches and would be a very nice piece on any table or sideboard.
James Nolan has found a smashing piece of Burr Elm and found just the right project for it. A stylish little box, it stands at approx. 3 inches high by 2 inches wide.
Paddy Finn is keeping with the box theme, turning a lovely piece of Cherry. It is safe to say that the lid and the base could be considered self-assembly, however they didn’t come from IKEA, (just the pencil shown for scale).
The last box is by Michael Fay. Turned from Walnut with pewter trims, the shape of this box is wonderful. Some boxes just say “open me” and this is one of them.
Brendan Phelan closes out the Advanced category with a tea light - mushrooms on a log. This piece catches my eye for the textures and layers. It somehow reminds me of the honeycomb chunks, we used to get as children, (how I have any teeth left is beyond me).
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