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woodezine - Volume
II - Issue IV - April 2004
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Turner of the Month
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Bill Luce Over the past two years, Bill Luce has received increasing national recognition as a pure form turner. He primarily turns "bowls and hollow vessels which emphasize the form and tactile balance of the pieces, utilizing surface enhancements only where the enhancements directly accentuate the form of the work". |
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Bill is a woodturner living in the Renton, Washington area. He says "I found woodturning while I was restoring some antique handplanes. I needed to replace a hand knob on a plane and wanted to fashion a knob to suit my own tastes. I bought my first lathe to create the knob, never really having seen a lathe. From the first moments of spinning wood and watching shavings peel off, I was hooked." Turning quickly became a passion, and he never did make that plane knob... or any more furniture! He continues... "That passion is now a major focus of my life, and I devote myself full-time to the various aspects of woodturning as an artform and a business. My goal is to express myself in shapes that are a balance of harmony and tension. The harmony in the form gives a sense of comfort or pleasure, while some tension is needed to add interest and surprise." |
 Photo by Roger Schreiber (Click for larger image) |
| Shown above is one of my favorite pieces by Bill. It was turned in 2002. This breathtaking bowl, named Selene, was executed in holly and is 4-3/4" tall by 6-1/2" in diameter. |
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In stark visual contrast to the holly bowl is his Tsukiyomi no Kami, shown in Mustafa Balil's wonderful photo at left (4" tall by 5-1/2" in diameter). Turned last year (2003) in elm, this round-bottomed bowl is burned and dyed to achieve its dramatic hue. The name refers to a Japanese god/goddess of the night, darkness, and the new moon. (Click for a larger image). |
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Here's how Bill describes the piece... "The grain in this piece has been lightly burned with a micro-torch to only slightly enhance the pattern of the grain, and the bowl was then dyed. Due to the relatively subtle grain , the wide growth ring spacing, and the delicate nature of the bowl itself, the overall effect is of quiet elegance. The groove near the rim works on this piece because of this subtle grain. The full and rounded lower curve here along with the straightening sides (and the subsequent openness of the form) complete the statement." |
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He used some of the same techniques in this grouping
of three bowls...
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Untitled
Honey Locust Bowl Set (2003)| Influences "My work has been very influenced by both seeing Richard Raffan's turnings in books," says Bill, "and by meeting Richard and discussing with him both his and my own personal aesthetics in regard to bowl form. I also acknowledge the work of David Ellsworth as an inspiration and influence on my concept of form. Both the embodiment of 'line as volume' in his work, as well as his masterful explorations of the relationship of overall form and vessel opening size and opening shape, set the bar very high for those of us who follow. " I have had the good fortune to have attended classes and workshops with some of the best turners in the world including Richard Raffan, David Ellsworth, Ray Key, Stuart Batty, and John Jordan." |
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Untitled Big Leaf Maple Celebration Bowl (2003) |
Celebration bowls
"I turn large round-bottomed bowls that are functional art, which I call "Celebration Bowls." These graceful closed-style bowls are carefully shaped for the greatest emotional impact of the form. The shape and lower curve are designed to sit well on any surface, from a tabletop to a person's lap. The balance and the voluptuous curves instill a sense of harmony and well-being to the viewer or holder. Click on an image to see a larger view. I create these pieces to enhance the celebration of life, either as a life-enriching art piece, as a sensual object to hold and contemplate, or as a addition to a family's festive traditions. I began creating my Celebration bowls before I had learned about traditional Hawaiian Calabash bowls. But I am inspired by the magnificent festive traditions surrounding the traditional Hawaiian Calabashes, and am working to continue that special tradition with my own bowls." |
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Technique |
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| So, what exites and inspires an artist
like Bill Luce? "As an artist, my primary focus is exploring certain subtleties of simple shape and form. While I take great care and effort to utilize the grain and patterns of the wood itself to relate thoughtfully to the form of a piece, it is usually the form itself that excites me. In fact, for some work I prefer wood that is less dramatic, as that plainness can enhance the power of certain forms. I create a range of turnings, from functional pieces to purely decorative bowls and hollow vessels. They are inspired by traditional ceramic forms from around the world, and shapes found in nature. Much of my work is done with fresh green wood with which I deliberately utilize the natural distortion of the wood as it dries to alter and enhance the shape of the piece. I often create multiple pieces from the tree that I am working with. In this way I can explore the various qualities of the particular wood and tree, as every tree even of the same species can be different to work with. Learning more about the weight of the wood, color, grain, texture and the wood movement as it dries allows me to better take advantage of the specific material itself, incorporating these qualities of the material into the final pieces. Many of my pieces have no separate foot. They rest in balance on a rounded lower portion. In this way the form seems more pure to me, with no interruption from rim to rim (visual or tactile)." |
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If you'd like to meet Bill Luce, here is his show calendar for the rest of 2004:
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Please note that all of the
images in this feature are copyrighted and remain
the sole property of the artist. Use without permission is prohibited.
Woodezine wishes to thank Mr. Luce for his permission.