As I walked along Allen Street, I was amazed by some
of the artwork. I came across a wooden bowl, that was just breathtaking. I have
always loved wooden artwork, but this was extraordinary. The rough texture of
the bark and the smoothness of the wood entranced me. I then started a conversation
with the artist, Toby Bouder. He’s from Liverpool, Pennsylvania, and has been
doing this type of wood work for the past six years. Prior to that, he worked at
the post office, until his retirement. When I asked him how he got his start, Toby
told me that he watched a YouTube video and thought it’d be fun to try, so he
started creating. At first, he started working in his basement. As his passion
grew, he moved to his garage, and now has a second garage, both of which he
uses as his workshops.
Toby doesn’t give his pieces
titles, but instead “Calls them what they are”. This piece is called “Cherrywood Burl Bowl
Natural Edge”. He starts by cutting the burl off the side of the tree, and then
cuts it to the size that’s desired. Before Toby begins to cut, he envisions what
he wants the final product to look like. Bouder then uses a wood lathe and
shapes the exterior, interior, as well as the edges of the bowl. Finally, he
sprays the final product with a lacquer or some other kind of clear coating.
I really enjoyed getting
to know a little bit about Toby’s passion for woodturning, and to see how
spectacular his artwork is.
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