Monkeypod 8.75" X4.5 Urn for Kandice. My nephew's wife lost a sister about 8yrs ago due to cancer. Just before she was diagnosed she was assigned to her dream job as a missionary in Thailand. But, due to the late stage diagnosis she never was able to make it. Her family traveled to Thailand a year after her passing to spread some of her ashes. They did not have a plan for the rest of her remains. My nephew and his wife asked if I would make parents an urn as a Christmas gift in memory of Kandice. They wanted to know if I could do it out of wood native to Thailand.
This request came in early Oct. I researched and found that monkeypod was native to Thailand and other tropical locations. (Here in northern Indiana it's considered an exotic & isn't readily available here -Imagine that!) Wayne Omura a turner in Hawaii offered to send me a fresh cut piece forthe cost of shipping. So thanks to Wayne I was able to fulfill the request. I rough turned it in mid-Oct., then dried it in my homemade kiln. It wasn't dry enough by Xmas but my nephew and his wife were okay with that. I was able to finish it this past week.
The cracks and voids are natural and not caused by the kiln drying. They are filled with crushed turquoise stone mixed in epoxy. The lid is my first attempt at using the tutorial I found online by Brad Adams using ABS plastic pipe fittings. The knob/lid decoration is ebonized walnut. Finish is a couple coats of antique oil and buffed.
