Yakisugi Bowl from Rippled Ash 

Size - D 21.5cm x H 10cm 

Finish - Tung Oil and Waxes 

An iteration on a shape I have explored a lot in recent times. A small foot meets a gently curving base and a slightly inward facing sidewall.

A bowl I was almost certain would crack when I burnt the surface. I was absolutely delighted that it came out unscathed. Some lovely rippled grain in this piece too. 

Sourced from a huge limb of an ash tree which came off in high winds a few years ago within our woodland.

I’m really trying to make the most of this ash wood while we still have it. As such I’ve continued working on these yakisugi pieces and they have come to be a bit of an obsession, really fueling my creative expression. 

‘Yakisugi’ is a Japanese method of wood preservation using fire, dating back to the 18th Century and often used to treat the external wooden cladding of a building. 

Here I’m using Ash which has an open grain structure and the rapid springtime growth is far less dense than the later summer growth. This burns more easily and so when brushed down creates a beautiful texture all over the surface. 

After scorching, the pieces are meticulously burnished using a stiff brush, removing loose char and bringing the surface to a slight polish. 

All pieces are stamped with my makers mark, a very subtle ‘H’ on the underside so as to not detract from the beauty of the object. 

- Tung Oil comes from a nut so please be aware if you have a nut allergy. 

- do not let fruit rot in the bowl 

- hand wash / wipe down only