Paul usually makes the turned wooden vases and hollow forms shown here from a single piece of wood. He uses specialised tools to do the hollowing through the hole in the top. These enable the turner to cut the wood on the inside of the form to leave a uniform wall thickness. It is the skill of the woodturner that turns the idea into a tactile and visually pleasing form.
Natural features of wood
Paul likes to look out special pieces of wood with character and figure, such as burrs or other choice pieces. Most of these pieces are from native British species. Occasionally Paul uses imported timber from a reputable supplier. Sometimes the wood has voids or bark inclusions which can add to the visual appeal of the finished form. features such as these can also make the job a little more difficult but the final result is worth the effort! Paul likes to texture and / or colour some of the wooden vases to add interesting enhancements the wood.
Although created to be visually appealing, wooden object such as these are also very tactile and more than one of my customers has told me they sometimes pass their hollow form around as a conversation piece. I think that’s a great way of breaking the ice!
If you see something you like, check the woodturning store page or enquire for prices and availability.
Decorative or functional?
Most of the turned wooden vases and hollow forms are intended to be decorative either on their own or with dried flowers etc. The wooden vases described as bud vases have a tube inserted in the centre that will hold water so fresh flowers can be held if desired.
Each wooden vase is unique and they make ideal gifts for a memorable occasion. Each one has it’s own character and grain patterns. Wooden vases are also very tactile, people just love to pick them up and feel the grain of the wood.