[Janel]

Work has taken precedence over communication on the forum for the past months, having to catch up after being away from home and work for nearly four months last year helping family members. It feels great to be working long hours when it is possible. Here are two pieces that were created for two invitational exhibitions:

This piece, 'Tomorrow's Promise', will be in a show called Magical Realism: Exploring Material Illusions at the Woodturning Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.




The next piece has interesting origins. The different woods were harvested by William Jewell of Historical Woods of America. The invitational is 'National Treasures - History in the Making'. The title 'Ark Of The Founders' is a rather grand title for the quiet subjects, but it sort of fits in a round about way. The woods in this piece were connected in some way to the founding fathers of the United States. For instance, George Washington planted the Horse Chestnut tree that the ark is carved from.



Current work goes towards the Smithsonian Craft Show in late April, and a netsuke exhibition in June. Needless to say, it is a rare moment when I come up for air, up early to wrangle with computer related responsibilities then to the studio to work until very late. Then there are days that take me away from it all, with other responsibilities, so the long days are very necessary to get the work done.

Now, on with the day!

Janel

[Mike Ruslander]

They're great. No one should feel guilty(?) for creating works of art instead of being on the 'net. We're always here when you bring your head back up.

[Cornel]

Beautyful compositions !

I would like to turn all the pieces in my hand....
And if I think what kind of history has the rough material inside.....

Congratulation Janel !!!! ......and a lot of power until all the shows are over !

Cornel

[MikeG]

Simply beautiful Janel.
Congratulations on top work.
Cheers
Mike.

[sergio]

Hi all. Nice woods, nice works, it's a real pleasure to see that, thank you ,Janel for these photos.

[Janel]

Quick photo of two kagami-buta. The top piece is from a really hard wood that might be desert ironwood. The bottom piece is black walnut. The lids of both are mammoth tusk ivory with Yasha-bushi stain. They are just under 2 inches in diameter (42 and 48 mm.)

[Don Barnhill]

Really nice work Janel, I like the bottom one best.

[magnus homestead]

Superb works - even in the photos. Thankyou so much for giving so much.
All the best energy to you through the shows and beyond.
I hope to see some of your work in person some day.
Stay Well,
Magnus

[Janel]

Thank you all for your encouragements and kind words. It is very interesting to be working on different sorts of things. Right now I am working on what I see in the wood, and how different woods look together if for a collection of pieces, then carving the forms to suit the concept.

This week, I've worked on ebony, a gift from a friend, that is very dark, extremely hard and dense, with a gray chatoyant area in it. It sands/polishes to a glass like surface. The wood behind the kagami-buta is a rough cut piece from the larger hunk. I am thinking about that one while I work on a different piece of ebony from another friend. They will likely fail to tell their story in photographs, but I will try with the camera when it is time.

On with the day,

Janel

[Natasha]

Hello dear Janel!
Your Kagami-buta are so finest and beautiful! Thank You for these beauties!

[Charles Wu]

Janel, She turns me on, one more inspire sets, really...........

[Naomi Oliver]

I agree with you all, your two kagami- buta are amazingly beautiful, i too like the bottom one, the carving is so intricate and shows alovely sense of movement and direction, and balance.so peaceful subject matter too.

Well done janel, your photography skills are so concise , so we can all enjoy your amazing sculptures.

Naomi

[Naomi Oliver]

Dear Janel,

your earlier works shown on this forum, called TOMORROWS PROMISE and ARK OF FOUNDERS are totally amazing.
I just wanted to pick them up and stroke them, they are more than realism, they dipict their own magic.

Well done. You are such an inspirational artist.Thankyou for sharing with us.
Naomi.

[Janel]

Thank you!

[yloh]

Really nice work !