A basswood carving. Finished first with polyurethane, which was a disaster. Rescued (sort-of) with a gel stain.

Very proud to show you guys the finished piece. Acanthus hand carved on basswood and finished with a gel stain and lacquer. She looks like a chocolate bar - and the glossy nature makes her look menacing - a little like a panther. This piece was a little ruined by my lack of experience but someone I respect a lot forced me to stick with it and see it through - these folks are God’s gift to men - they help us see and think straight when we need it the most. #wood #woodworking #art #artistsoninstagram #artprocess #artist #carving #handmade #woodcarving #crafts #chocolate #fractal #artoftheday #glossy #shine #plant #trees #craftsmanship #sculpture #sculpting #woodsculpture

A post shared by Shriphani Palakodety (@life_of_ess) on Nov 4, 2017 at 4:30pm PDT

New woodworking project WIP. Hand carved acanthus plant on basswood. Sped up about 500x - this condenses parts of a 30+ hour project and a new addition to my woodworking skillset. #art #artprocess #artist #artistsoninstagram #artwork #woodworking #wood #carving #woodcarving #handtools #handmade #handcarved #timelapse #hyperlapse #carpenter #carpentry #diy #sculpture #sculpting #basswood #woodcraft #woodworkeroninsta #realwoodworking #carpenters #chisel #artisanal #artisan

A post shared by Shriphani Palakodety (@life_of_ess) on Nov 3, 2017 at 6:38pm PDT

I want to share a couple more woodworking projects.

The first is a jatoba spatula, the second a bloodwood cutting board.

Jatoba is a stunning wood - after sanding down to 1500 grit, when you run your finger on the surface, it has this velvety, posh, expensive feel.

It feels gorgeous to look at, it is amazing to touch.

The bloodwood board was rescued from a scrap bin and cleaned up.

Removing the dirt and grime revealed a surface full of character and vibrant colors. The contrast between the live edge and the grain, the reds, the blacks and the yellows - this is a masterpiece forged by nature - one no man can produce.

A couple of weeks ago, a friend came up with a challenge. Produce a low-cost, minimal flower-vase.

Tada!

Just finished this segmented vase. Combining a traditional Chinese style with Victorian ornaments. . . . #wood #woodcraft #woodworking #chinese #british #rose #roses #victorian #art #artist #artprocess #crafts #craftmanship #laser #lasercut #flowers #flowervase #vase #sanfrancisco #sfbayarea #bayarea

A post shared by Shriphani Palakodety (@life_of_shriphani) on Jun 3, 2017 at 12:35pm PDT