Janet M. McDonald - Author - Artist - New Zealand
Recently I have been playing with some Spalted Taraire wood I carved the heart and turned the jewellery holder. The dark lines/patches in the wood are where spalting has happened. Spalting being the early stages of decay/mould in the wood. After shaping the wood I burnt thin lines over the spalting lines. Then I dyed the wood red. Once dry I sealed the surface with Danish oil. Then a couple of coats of poly spray. The jewellery holder is about 15cm tall and the heart about 6cm wide.
I turned this platter on my lathe from Macrocarpa wood, 27cm (10 1/2 inch) wide. New Zealand is famous for its Manuka flower honey. So this platter depicts the Manuka flowers with a honeycomb behind it. The design is pyrography with gold metallic paint. All my designs are copyright.
I am a member of the South Auckland Woodturning Guild
They are very welcoming Guild.
They are very welcoming Guild.
Wood turned Kauri plate above is 15cm wide. Pyrography, copper leaf, acrylic paint. Janet’s original design.
The koru (fern frond) in New Zealand Maori culture is a sign of new life and growth. In my design, the woven thread through the koru shows the life force of a person. The sections in the koru show life is an evolution of parts that have layers to each stage. The background is based on a kete (woven flax basket). It is believed that our knowledge learnt in life is stored in our own internal kete.
P.S. I did not actually turn this koru plate. I have been doing green turning and realized I had nothing dry to embellish. So I used this plate I was given a few years ago. It was turned by G.W.
The koru (fern frond) in New Zealand Maori culture is a sign of new life and growth. In my design, the woven thread through the koru shows the life force of a person. The sections in the koru show life is an evolution of parts that have layers to each stage. The background is based on a kete (woven flax basket). It is believed that our knowledge learnt in life is stored in our own internal kete.
P.S. I did not actually turn this koru plate. I have been doing green turning and realized I had nothing dry to embellish. So I used this plate I was given a few years ago. It was turned by G.W.
This toadstool house I turned in two pieces. Then I did the pyrography. The wood is still drying so it will be interesting to see if the house looks like it has been in an earthquake with cracks in a couple of months. I left the tenon on top and hollowed it into a birds nest. The inside I hollowed out to make a hidden treasure space. 24cm tall. Macrocarpa wood.
After turning I did a Pyrography design I did is based on Japanese Sashiko Needlework. 15cm tall from I made a slideshow of it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5NHTB7Pkxs
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Holes drilled with 1cm holes on sides. Painted and Pyrography. Threaded with cotton and with glass beads. 16cm wide, 8cm tall.
A pincushion with side needle pillow. The stand I turned is 10cm tall. I designed and hand stitched the top and centre.
The ring is made the same time the candle stand is from the same block of wood. The ring is not added after, it is a solid ring that can not be removed from the stand. The candle stand is 10cm high.
Retro inspired box. My first box turned on the lathe with pyrography. 8cm tall.
Acorn box is 8cm tall. Pyrography on lid and leaves. One leaf I cut out of wood and attached.