Al Stirt has been a professional woodturner for more than 40 years.  His work is included in numerous public and private collections, including the Smithsonian, the White House, the Museum of Art and Design, and the Victoria and Albert Museum.  He has demonstrated
and taught about woodturning & design in Australia, England, Ireland, New Zealand and Canada as well as throughout the U.S.  In 1997 the American Association of Woodturners awarded him an Honorary Lifetime Membership for his commitment and contributions to the field of woodturning.

In additional to his functional bowls and platters, for the last 20 years he has been making ceremonial objects to try to address emotional & spiritual needs.

How the bowl was made:

1 - Start with a block of green (wet) wood & cut for grain pattern &
size etc.

2- Mount the block of wood on a lathe & "rough turn" the bowl,
leaving it thick. The outside is turned first, then the inside is hollowed
out.  By rough turning the bowl before drying, I can save a lot of time
and reduce the chances of cracking as opposed to trying to dry a solid block.

3 -  Dry the bowl.

4 - Re-turn the bowl to final dimensions

5 - Sand and finish.

Check out the photos too!