15" Turned Gum Wood Bowl

Measuring 15.5" diameter by 5.75" tall, this large Gum wood bowl would be excellent as a display bowl for fresh fruit or simply as a piece of art.

Made in Petersburg, VA by Alain Joyaux, an artist and craftsman with an interest in exploring ways to push natural materials into unexpected shapes. His wooden bowls are all made from locally sourced wood and turned on a lathe when the wood is still green. Ideal pieces of wood have a moisture content of about 80%. The bowls are then flashed dried which reduces the moisture content to about 6%. This rapid drying prevents the wood from relaxing which results in warping and cracking because of the uneven tension in the wood. Alain repairs some cracks with Dutchman or butterfly inlays, adding further visual appeal to the surface of the bowls. 

These hand-turned bowls are sealed using a lacquer that makes it unsafe for serving most food. As with any wood product, avoid extreme changes in temperature caused by hot foods or lengthy refrigeration. To clean, wipe with a soft, damp cloth and then wipe to dry.