Michelle Kouri
Each month, the SaddleBrooke Woodworking Club invites members to showcase their creations, whether they involve woodturning, pyrography, carving, or woodworking projects. These presentations can be made in person or via power point.
Our July meeting featured a beautiful wooden cross carved by Bob Bulakowski, who is also a member of the Carvers’ Club.
The wood used in his cross was Juniperus Deppeana, commonly known as Alligator Juniper because the bark looks like alligator skin.
Bob began with a large piece of this distinctive wood, and as the carving progressed, his artistic eye envisioned a cross emerging from its rustic background. The piece went through several iterations before reaching its final form, resulting in an impressive example of carved wood art.
The cross stands 12 inches high and took more than 20 hours to carve. Bob then painted portions with red acrylic paint and stained the smooth areas with cherry stain. The rough areas received an English Chestnut stain, and the piece was completed with a brush-on lacquer finish.
Unfortunately, photographs do not do justice to this piece of art. It is truly stunning when viewed in person.
Fellow Club member Paul Swane also showcased two beautifully turned pens, continuing his passion for pen turning and adding another fine example of craftsmanship to the meeting.
One pen, crafted from mesquite wood, featured a distinctive clip designed like the front of an antique train engine. The other pen, made from maple, displayed a patriotic American flag theme in honor of our country’s 250th anniversary. The clips alone cost $20 or more each, adding to the value and uniqueness of these handcrafted pens. But, as every artist and craftsman knows, there is one thing that can never truly be recovered—the countless hours spent bringing a creation to life.
Another member brought in three segmented bowls that her friend had made over the years. The bowls beautifully demonstrated how segments can be incorporated into bowl making. One bowl, in particular, was surprisingly light—much lighter than we would have expected. Its unique construction and finishing techniques also demonstrated how segmentation can be used to create interesting textures and visual effects.
The Club is also exploring plans to install a curio/bookcase in the Mountainview facility. The bookcase would house woodworking books covering a variety of subjects, including pyrography, carving, woodturning, how to build a workbench, and other woodworking projects. All SaddleBrooke residents would be welcome and encouraged to borrow the books on an honor system. After all, sometimes a good book is better than learning through YouTube!
The display case would also feature glass-enclosed shelving where members’ work could be showcased on a rotating basis. Discussions and plans are currently underway, and the Club looks forward to creating a space that not only shares woodworking knowledge but also celebrates the creativity and talents of its members.
SaddleBrooke residents are encouraged to see what we are about by attending a Club meeting on the third Tuesday of the month at 2 p.m. in the Mountainview Sonoran Room. Experience is not necessary to join the Club. Membership is only $10 a year. Mentors are always happy to share their knowledge, teach you a new skill, and help you discover talents you may not even know you have. Sbwoodworkers.org.