Through the use of reclaimed materials and the embracing of the Japanese aesthetic tradition of Wabi Sabi, Stephen has taken the genesis of his bowl turning, as well as his furniture art, to a higher level.  A reverence for the imperfect, a masterful celebration of the ordinary, arranged and orchestrated to pay homage to the grace and splendor that comes with age.  Complete with cracks, crevices and holes, each piece resonating the spirit of its maker through energy transmitted from hands to wood.   An attention to detail brought forth from deep within the heart.  Wabi Sabi is a love of simpler things, humble and authentic; a beauty otherwise lost with the avoidance of these imperfections or the presence of a high gloss finish.

Some of our stock comes from large timbers and beams from barns and factories that have fallen pray to the wrecking ball.  Other stock comes from trees felled during land clearing. 
 

The most beautiful bowls are generally the most difficult to turn.  Stephen usually tries to choose wood that is disfigured in some way.  These pieces tend to display more erratic grain patterns.  However, they can be fairly unstable and sometimes chunks will come flying off.  My favorite material is wood that is spaulted.  Spaulting is found when dead wood lying on the ground becomes moist just prior to decay.  A white fungus will grow on the wood causing the wood to take an interesting pattern of coloration.  The next image is a perfect example of such spaulting.