David Ellsworth, Stratum Sphere, Spalted Sugar Maple, 13" Dia., 2004
The thing I love about this sculpture is that is perfectly spherical unlike anything you would find in nature, yet it is made out of a natural material. I also like how the artist has tried to keep as much of the natural look of the wood as possible. The wood is spalted, which means the black coloration that you see is caused by fungi, this brings a whole other range of color that you wouldn't necessarily see in healthy wood which I think is cool. I also enjoy how, to me, this piece feels like a planet, and that its random coloration and lines makes it feel like it could be orbiting the sun. When I go on to do my own woodwork, I am going to try to use the natural patterns and colors of the wood to benefit my piece.