These spoons were made in the winter of 2016-17 for two sisters who I love dearly: Shelby and Kendra. One is birch and the other is a wood I have yet to identify. It might be walnut or some other nut.

Souper salad tongs!

This is my first foray into larger non-spoon utensils. The beautiful madrona wood came from my good friend Reivka on Orcas Island. She had been saving this wood for years and I knew what this branch was for when I found it in her wood shed. This was a commission for Elaine Prouty.

maple marriage spoon

         The wood that kept me warm while house sitting for my friends was mostly maple. I set aside some pieces for possibly carving into spoons, and got right into shaping this one shard that I got a good feeling from. It was thin enough that maybe I wouldn't have to remove as much to reveal the finished piece. The idea came up early in the process to support a narrow neck with some kind of bridging. Only once before have I tried this, with that one ocean spray spoon who's handle is a leaf shape. That one has a heart supporting the stem. What came up for this one was two rings, or hoops. To me these shapes represent beings. The two here I decided represent Nathan and Sage. They are linked in partnership and support the fragile beauty of what is created between them. I also came to see two peace signs being created by the crossing of the two hoops and neck of the spoon. A marriage can be a haven of peace. Can you find the two peace signs in these pictures?
I was so grateful for this time in the cozy home Nathan and Sage have made their own with such care. Guess I kind of turned it into an artist residency!
(thanks mom for encouraging me to snap these shots with your phone camera at the last minute! i couldn't do this without generous help from friends and family.)