The Vessel

Here is a view of the other side, as well as one of the interior. In the photograph, the dots kind of look like confetti, but in person the interior looks like some of the Hubble/James Webb images of the cosmos. I used an image I find online as a very rough guide.

What did u use to carve interior, looks as if was turned, equal thickness.

Charlie Knighton said:

What did u use to carve interior, looks as if was turned, equal thickness.

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The walls are pretty consistently 3/16” thick, and thicken to about 5/16” at the very bottom. I used a dremel with flex shaft and a 3/16” carbide ball bit. And elbow grease haha.

The cosmos and dreaming amongst the stars. Every civilization has looked there for answers. Great transformation.

The ancient calabashes of old Hawaii inspire this, but I would not go so far as to call it a calabash. The main reason is the foot. Pre-contact calabashes also had an unfinished inside. Although we finish them nowadays, we do not embellish them. But I really like the cosmos inside. The Hawaiians still navigate around the world guided only by the stars in the sky in their now-famous Hokulea double hull long-distance canoe. Other than the foot, the shape is excellent. One way of fixing the mistake in labeling the wood, chuck it up in the vacuum and take the foot off, LOL

Love it, Michael. How did you apply the paint dots?
I use that technique a lot. I use a small Ø brass rod (any metal will do) that is slightly rounded over on the tip which is mounted in a dowel (like a pencil). Dip the tip in the paint and touch to the surface - it will self level. Different sizes for different sized dots. Maybe you already do that.🙂
Problem I have now is that I have trouble holding a pen or pencil and my hand shakes a little .... frustrating.

Emiliano Achaval said:

The main reason is the foot. Pre-contact calabashes also had an unfinished inside. Although we finish them nowadays, we do not embellish them.

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Thanks for the kind words and the information. That’s interesting about star navigation in a canoe. Amazing.

You’re right though, inspired by the ancient form for sure. I wouldn’t call this traditional because of the embellished interior. The bottom is rounded though. No foot, and I think this would look kind of goofy if I did have one. It would totally ruin the curve. I do have a nickel-sized dimple though. It’ll be a quarter-size dimple after I fix that goober mistake. Here’s a shot I posted in another thread: https://www.aawforum.org/community/threads/marking-your-work.22383/post-238576

Tom Gall said:

Love it, Michael. How did you apply the paint dots?

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Thanks Tom. I used a spotter brush with synthetic bristles. It’s very small, maybe 1mm diameter for the group of bristles. It carries heavy-bodied paint well, so you can control the amount pretty dependably. Still takes a steady hand though! I like your rounded rod method. I have something in the works (still in my mind) that will require more uniformity. Going to steal that method from you

Beautiful work Michael.

Mark Fairchild said:

Beautiful work Michael.

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Thank you Mark! 😃