The News I've Been Waiting For

The title of this post could have been “Dave Fisher part 2”, but instead I am bursting with the news that Dave is going to be coming to my shop to teach this August!!! I’ve been slowly working on Dave for the last 5 years or so to come out and teach, but his schedule at work and family obligations made it tough. So of course, I was over the moon when he reached out to schedule a class. I could fall all over myself writing about his skill and ability as a teacher, but instead, I’ll show you some pictures of the “bowl from a plank” he’s going to teach. It will be a six day class, which will give plenty of time immersed with one of the most fascinating artists around.

I will definitely be there for this one.

Now, back to part 2 of my posts on Fisher. Here is his hen bowl.

In the last post on Fisher, I mentioned how the lack of toolmarks contributed to the impact of the piece. Here, it’s just the opposite. The way the light plays on the subtle tool marks and white paint makes a delicate feathery impression. But it’s within a strong geometric framework of larger facets that guides the eye from one end to the other.

The form and lines remind me of a Viking ship, but in this case the rounded hull is more for warming eggs than cutting through water. Everything about this piece is so decisive, no dithering or unresolved ideas here.

The way the tool marks shift to more distinct lines on the tail carving delights me to no end. They catch the light and bring the tail to life. They are done so freely and with such confidence that I always feel like they were just made a moment before. You can feel each cut.

I need to get chickens again just to fill it with eggs!

It’s a shame that the underside isn’t always visible, but I had to show the lettering. There, I’m done, I won’t keep raving, now my focus will be to treat him so well that he’ll keep teaching with me for years to come. Stay posted for details on the class.