Intermediary Inspration

One of my big influences in working with wood and working with wood the way that I do is a man named Matt Burke. Now, a couple of years back I was traipsing around the MOMA in New York with some friends and I stumbled upon the special exhibition of the work of probably the foremost artist that works with wood; the amazing and talented Mr. Martin Puyear. I had formerly had no experience with Mr. Puyear's work, but I was immediately impressed. I also immediately noticed that, without pleagerizing, this must be an inspration in the work of Matt Burke. I was expressing how much of Matt I could see in this work, and how much I bet he would love this show to my, now, wife when Matt Burke himself walks up from behind me and taps me on the shoulder. Here, half a country away from where we both live, we happen to be in the same place at the same time just as I was discussing this very person.

It was the coinsodence to end all coinsodense. The timing actually could have gone like this: Me - "Wow love bug, this show is really cool. You know, I bet that Matt Burke would really love this stuff, and I bet that he finds a lot of inspiration in Martin Puyear's work. Matt Burke - "As a matter of fact, Evan, I do love this show and I do draw some influence from this incredible artist. Thanks for noticing."

That's not how it actually went, but it seriously could have. I wouldn't lie to you people.

Wooden like like to cruise around on one of these.

I sincerely hope that the punny post title didn't make you puke on your keyboard. This is a classic wooden good that has already made it's way around the net a couple of times. This piece is just wonderful artistry. Every different color on this Vespa is a different species of wood. It is a masterful hand made recreation of a staple of the motorized world and I can't help but gauk at it. This is one of those things that I can't even phathom how you would begin to make. So, I guess I'll just have to oggle.

Can't go wrong with customized cases for Apple products.

It's no great wonder that this little product caught my eye. I have a certain affinity towards Apple products already. Why wouldn't I love a beautiful hardwood case for my macbook. This is one of those things that I see on the internets that I immediately think, "I can make that." In this case, I totally could, too. Alas, I probably won't. I can never make fun stuff for myself anymore. Oh well, I'll just have to find comfort in the fact that I would have absolutely no use for it. Since I'm graduated from college I can't show it off in class, and my laptop battery no longer holds a charge so it would take one fashionable, futile trip to the airport to frustrate me. Maybe someday I'll make one for someone who gets out more.

Turning cometition - No longer about who can spin around the longest.

This is one of my bowls. I thought that I would throw in something of my own once in a while. If this blog is supposed to be about stuff that's made out of wood that I think is cool, why not throw in some of my own stuff. If I didn't think it was cool, I wouldn't have made it that way, right? This piece was the culmination of my college career and I recently entered it in a turning competition in Harrisburg. Wish me luck. If I win they give me more tools.

A good lesson to learn before undertaking a woodworking project is that curves is hard. It looks like this person sandwiched tree pieces of a cheaper wood betwixt some nice maple veneer and then clamped it between a mold made of wood to keep the curve. This is very clever use of negative space, and using the zebrawood for the drawer slide was a nice, subtle use of color.

Just in case.

I found these on Etsy. I'm really in to very customized pieces made for specific electronics or made for specific objects. If you look at old cameras, tools, and binoculars, a lot of old objects had custom fit cases. Everything is better when it's made of wood.