Featured Seller of the Day 11/04/2009

I'm back, and feeling much better! I still wish my children would let me sleep in longer, but I'm sure most mothers wish that. :) Today's featured seller (well yesterday's technically) hails from Scotland. He takes full advantage of the beautiful countryside around him by working in both photography and woodturing using local indigenous woods. His shop is called:

Billy Currie - Photography and Creative Woodturning

Let's take a look at some of his woodturing pieces first.

Large Decorative Elm Platter from Scotland

This beautiful platter has been turned from local elm, then the carved pattern was added by hand. I love the flame design at the top, and how the natural grain of the wood runs at a diagonal to the pierced designs on the sides. A very elegant piece!

This next bowl is slightly more rugged, but just as beautiful.

Large Yew Bowl from Scotland

This bowl is made from Yew wood. Yew this size (12" in diameter) is very hard to find, making this a very rare and unique piece! The best part about this bowl is not the smoothly and expertly worked spots, but the places that were left rough and natural. :) I love the knots in this piece, especially the chunk missing from the lip of the bowl (you can see it slightly better in some of the other pics in the listing). Leaving some of the areas rough shows off the natural beauty of the piece, as well as the artist's skill in working with the wood. That way the rough parts enhance the smoothness of the worked areas, and the worked areas highlight the natural beauty of the rough parts.

You might think it is enough that an artist, with this much talent in working with wood, would be satisfied with just turning out bowls and platters. But this artist is also a very accomplished photographer as well!

Living in the Scottish countryside today's artist can take full opportunity to capture the beauty around him. This first photograph is a beautiful example.

Moss Field - 9x6 Fine Art Print

This mossy field with it's deep rich greens, seems to draw you in and hold you back at the same time. The field itself is inviting and looks soft and safe, but the forest in the back seems to be lurking, waiting. Waiting for what I wonder? Maybe it's waiting for you to stray to close to its edge...

If the haunting hills and fields of Scotland are not to your taste, then take a look at our next picture.

Barvas Sunset - 9x6 Fine Art Print

It's hard to believe that these two pictures were taken in the same country. But it is not hard to tell that they were both taken by the same master photographer! The warm colors of the sand and sunset in this piece are soft and slightly earthy. They are offset beautifully by the rich blues of the sea and sky. :) And while the last piece seemed to be full of tenshion and an anticipation, this piece gives off an air of pure peacefulness. The sun slowly setting and the waves gently lapping the shoreline; sounds like the perfect way to end an evening, and this post! :)

Tomorrow we'll take a look at an artist that makes books. ::Hint - They work with leather and wood!::

Later!

P.S. For more information on today's featured seller, please check out their Etsy profile here => BillyCurrie's Profile