Spruce Root

When I was up in the Eastern Cascades with a group of friends back in August I received some special pieces of wood to make spoons out of. One of these is a piece of alpine spruce root. When I carved into it the first time I was amazed to find many colors. Pink, green, and blue were mixed in with the light brown of this strong-smelling, pitchy root. As I continued to shape a spoon, I discovered that this root contained a whole rainbow of colors. They fade with time, and are hard to capture in photos, but you can imagine. What a pleasure to carve such beautiful wood!

It seems appropriate that this rainbow faceted root would be the spoon of the deep and magically dynamic song leader Laurence Cole. The bowl of this spoon is also very sturdy and deep, partly because I chose to leave a bit of the bark on the back side of the bowl. Another aspect of the spoon that seems fitting for Laurence is that rather than design the spoon in a symmetrical, measured way, I went with the flow of the contortions of the root fibers. hollows seemed to naturally form where a hand might hold it comfortably.

Hawk Head

This spoon is made from a piece of wood I got in Humoldt while visiting my sister at the end of this past winter. I think it is apple wood. When I shaped the blank with a band saw I left this big knob on the back of the bowl that I normally would have carved off. This time I considered what might be done with it...
Around the time I was considering this piece of wood I met someone who had a connection to hawks. Carly looks birdlike to me and has a keen way of being in life. So I decided I would try to carve a hawk's head out of that knob, and I would give this spoon to my new friend Carly.

every mistake a blessing

Today I got on the wrong ferry from Orcas Island on my way back to Lopez and ended up taking a couple additional ferry trips and spending a few extra hours waiting at the Orcas landing. On those ferries and at the landing I had lots of time to work on a spoon! I love how this connects me with the people around me. I know more people notice than approach me. I try to catch people noticing and draw them in. I met Barb on the first ferry, who told me enthusiastically that she really wants to carve spoons! On the way back to Orcas another kind woman approached me just before we arrived. I should really have cards with my info to hand out at these times! At the Orcas landing, while waiting three and a half hours for the next ferry, I met Ana, who commissioned me to carve a camp spatula for her! Here is the sketch I made, which she insisted I keep for my records:

If any of the people I told about this blog today are reading this, or if you have found your way here somehow otherwise, please feel free to contact me with any questions or to commission one of my useful sculptures.

hoop5rider@gmail.com

p.s.
 In these souper spoons I make there are often little cracks or unexpected challenges that help shape the unique and beautiful design that results. This has been a wonderful reminder of how life can be. When I work with what I am given with love and willingness to stay in it, I am often rewarded with something unexpected and delightful.