| Gary Matthews |
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Working primarily with red maple burl wood, artist Gary Matthews carefully turns domestic woods into beautiful yet functional vessels. His shapes are simple, allowing the exquisite patterns that occur naturally in the burl to speak for themselves.
Burls are unusual growths that mostly occur on the trunk of the tree. They consist of a mass of either dormant buds (often referred to as ‘eyes’) or unusual grain patterns. There is no consistent alignment of wood fibres which results in unpredictable colour and patterning in the wood. Various theories have been advanced on the cause of burls, including frost. injury or disease. But one fact is clear: burls offer an opportunity for wood turners to create truly unique and beautiful art objects. All of Gary’s vessels are created using wood hand picked from logging sites in Eastern Ontario. He lives and works in Tamworth, Ontario. After Use: Rinse and wipe using clear, warm water. To Clean (3-6 months): Wet surface and coat liberally with salt. Let sit 10 minutes. Scrub with soft cloth using warm, clear water. Re-oil using Canola oil, mineral oil or a natural beeswax finish. |
