Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Inspiration Drops by for a Visit

Today, Erik Buchakian stopped by the house and shop. Eric is another local resident here in the southern Catskills and we share a passion for spoon carving. Eric is also on the Board at Drew Langsner's Country Workshops and has taken classes with and befriended the Sunquist family. Wille and Jogge Sundquist are the renowned woodworkers and carvers that have inspired so many to pick up a knife and work some wood. Wille was in Fine Woodworking back when they would still take photos of you in nothing but jean shorts and a hatchet!






Eric brought along his collection of Sunquist spoons. The red ones are by the son Jogge and the others are Willes'. It was like having the museum come to me!

Here are some close ups.


One of the areas that I've yet to become comfortable with is designing pattern and detailing, these pieces show such mastery, that I am going to work at it.



These are so soulful that you just have to hold them.


This salad fork was especially eye catching.






I loved the shape of this spoon, and the utility of it makes perfect sense, it gets into squared or rounded containers. I've been working on leaving consistent facets on my unsanded spoons, but this shows just how far I have to go.



The play of thick and thin is especially dramatic in this side view.


I've never gotten to see spoons by these guys up close. Like most true mastery, they ring of simplicity and clarity. Thanks Erik for the great visit!

On other spoon related news, Harry Miller won the latest drawing for the Spoons for Hunger drawing. I have been busy making more (ah winter) and will post the next one early next week. 

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

The "jean shorts and hatchet" comment is hilarious...
Erik B.

greg said...

Spoons are a genre unto themselves. Starting out with a piece of wood with grain orientation that meets the need of the final object is not something they always did back in the day. This knowledge, and your estute sense of design, make your spoons subordinate to none, past or present. Don't make me say this again. I kid you not.

greg said...

Oh. Bourbon. Forgive me please. (Not bourbon, everyone else.)

Peter Galbert said...

Eric,
I did a photo shoot with the good folks at Fine Woodworking, but they made me put my clothes on!

Thanks Greg, yep, spoons are definitely a trip down the rabbit hole, but as nervous habits go, I find it rather harmless,
now behave!