In the Belly of the Beast
Description
Bill and Tina Collison craft exquisite bowls, platters, and hollow forms from trees native to the region, blending artistry with a deep respect for their medium. Bill’s early experiences in his father’s workshop, combined with Tina’s background in decoy carving, sparked their shared passion for woodworking. They value wood for its strength, substance, and enduring quality—characteristics that make it an exceptional medium for artistic expression.
Wood’s natural warmth and tactile allure invite interaction; it begs to be held, touched, and appreciated. The Collisons source their materials sustainably, using trees downed by storms, age, disease, or development. Bill specializes in turning burls and creating natural-edged bowls and platters, while Tina elevates the pieces with intricate surface embellishments—carving, piercing, burning, and coloring—transforming functional objects into fine art.
For the Collisons, a piece of wood on the lathe is akin to a blank canvas for a painter. Chisel and embellishment tools serve as their pigments and brushes. However, unlike painting or pottery, woodturning is an unforgiving, one-way process. Any flaw or misstep cannot be undone, and such pieces inevitably join what they affectionately call the “designer firewood pile.”
- Artist: Tina and Bill Collison
- American Made in Unicoi, TN
- Quilted ambrosia maple vessel
- Dimensions: 16″ H x 18″ W x 18″ D
$5,000.00
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