PROTEUS

This Green Ash Knot Burl, formed from a healed branch which caused an extensive void, has been carved to preserve the irregular structure of its interior rather than impose a conventional vessel shape.

Weathered exterior wood surrounds a hollowed center, where portions of the original, previously entrapped bark remain embedded, but now visible within the formation. Clear epoxy stabilizes selected insect holes while leaving the surrounding material visible. Along the external cambium edge, swirling grain creates a contrasting band of movement.

This piece was designed to be viewed in more than one orientation. Turned onto different stable surfaces, the sculpture shifts in silhouette and reveals a different relationship between its cavity, exterior, and retained natural structure.