SASHI FUNGI
As
I have mentioned elsewhere in these pages, I much prefer to use a material
that has character than a pristine one. It is this character that shines
through and brings a carving to life. This carving comes from an interesting
root of a branch I found on a beach in Santa Barbara after the Honolulu
convention in 1997. It was a grey, battered and split object almost
twice as long as the photos on the right. I kept it because it reminded
me of a netsuke of a Buddist sceptre I once saw and I was certain I
could use it in some wayAfter much hesitation I finally took the plunge
and cut it in half. To my surprise the interior was not only of a beautiful
colour but, due to its long immersion in the sea, had hardened considerably.
Not only that but the thick end had a fine burl pattern which can be
seen in the right hand thumbnail. Such serendipity should not be wasted
so I decided to carve a favourite subject- fungi.
I am very pleased with this carving; to a very great extent the design
was dictated by not only the dimensions of the material but the extent
to which it had deteriorated before it ended up in the sea. And although
there is a jollity in the closely-packed group and the flowing lines,
there seems to be a serenity about the carving I can't really explain.
It is signed on a 22ct gold oval plate and is 5.5" (14cm) long.