Turned Bowls: From Art to the Table
by Sam Turner
This article is posed in the form of a question. When is a bowl an art piece and when is it an object to be used in the preparation or consumption of food, or to contain some item for storage, in other words a practical object? I don’t propose to have the answer(s). However, I would like to stimulate discussion so that we all may become better informed and have an opportunity to express our thoughts on the subject. Also since we have two categories for turnings in the Ventura County Fair that may overlap, “Bowl/Cup/Goblet” [#1] and “Everyday Use” [#2], the discussion may help to determine which category your work is entered in at next year’s fair.
Thinking about this question has brought to mind some categories for discussion:
The first is eye appeal. Does the bowl look so good that the inside should be seen rather than covered with something else? Is the shape of the bowl such that it will be difficult to use?
Second, are mechanical properties. How strong is the bowl? Can it hold the material it may contain? How thick is its wall? Is the base so small that the bowl is unstable if loaded with food etc? If the bowl falls to the floor, will it break?
Third is the bowl’s finish. Is the finish durable? If the bowl is filled with something, will the finish be marred, scratched or stained. Is the finish so pretty that it would be a shame to hide it? If the bowl is handled will the finish hold up?
Let’s assume that all bowls start out as being made for practical purposes. Somewhere along the line the maker decides that this bowl must be or has the potential to go beyond practical and become art. How does the turner know? He must have some idea when and why he decides that a bowl goes beyond utility. It may be the type of wood or its structure. I suppose a blank of Cocobolo would be more likely to become an art piece than a piece of Maple or Pine, but that’s not always the case. A piece of pine that is so thin that it’s translucent would surely be considered an art piece rather than for everyday use. The orientation of the blank, as it’s turned, may determine the final product. For instance a natural edge bowl is more likely to be art than utility, but not always. If the design is predetermined the piece may be destined to be art before it even reaches the lathe or vice versa.
My feeling is that the one thing that should not determine art vs. utility is the quality of the workmanship that goes into the finished product. The same high quality should be the goal for both art pieces and everyday use items. We should strive to do the best work we can each time we turn something no mater what its final use is. That’s the way you improve, by consistently working to make better turnings.
So please, think about art vs. utility and let us know what you think. When does utility become art?