Burl Wood Duck Bowl

I carved this bowl from Black Ash burl as a gift for my wife in 2003. While it is not a reproduction of an original it is inspired by prehistory clay effigy duck bowls found here in the Midwest. I used antique square-shank brass tacks for the eyes. I began carving out the cavity by first laying hot coals and a blowpipe to char the wood to make scraping easier...but easy it was not. The size is just under 12" long.

Often, it will take months for me to complete a carving as this is not how I earn my living but the way I find to relax.