Decorative bowls: Darlings of interior design
The decorative bowl is one of the most popular home accents. Whether it’s placed empty on a coffee table, or filled with decorative balls, the very idea of the bowl is filled with a kind of symbolism every bit as meaningful as the utilitarian function it serves. Across cultures and landscapes, there have been as many variations to this classic form as materials used, from a piece of clay thrown on a potter’s wheel, to a glob of hot glass spun and blown into shape, to green reeds freshly pulled from a riverbank and woven by skilled hands. As I work the wire through my fingers I think about the irony of creating such an ancient shape out of modern industrial materials never intended for such use. I lose myself in the meditative process, and wonder if the same calm came over the woman weaving her own basket at the river’s edge, ten thousand years, ago.
Silver, Gold and Copper bowls
People often ask me why some of the brass wire I use is silver, and not yellowish-gold. The answer is, brass is made up of zinc and copper, and for certain EDM cutting applications, machinists figured out that brass wire with an extra plating of zinc gave them the results they were looking for. And that’s why some EDM wire is silver, and some is gold. The copper colored wire I use is much thicker, heavier MIG welding wire. If left exposed to the elements, it turns very dark, but not green, like you might expect.
Powdercoated bowls
Most of the pieces I make that get sent to the powdercoating shop are made from MIG wire, although I occasionally apply a powdercoat finish to brass wire decorative bowls, as pictured in this gallery.
Decorative bowls with unique finishes
When I started making decorative bowls from wire, my goal was to create a process for producing specific shapes with consistency. Once I figured exactly what I could make, and how long it took me, I realized I could branch off from this core product line into more unique versions which could sell at a higher price point. These more artistic bowls would incorporate other materials to create new textures, colors, and push the general idea of “bowlness,” into unexplored territory.
Display stands
The impetus behind my custom display stands began — as many of my projects do — with an overwhelming supply of material I needed something to do with. In this case it was carbon fiber arrows and little brass plates. It was also the solution to a problem many artists have, especially those of us who do art shows. I was sick of lugging around heavy pedestals and tables to art shows. I figured, since my artwork is very lightweight, there must be a way to display it with a lightweight, portable stand. But it had to look classy, and not cheesy. It had to compliment my art, without overtaking the spotlight. Here’s what I came up with, so far… and here’s the blog post I wrote about it.
