Pima Design Basket Illusion

Inspired by a photo from a book showing a Pima Indian platter basket (source unknown).

Beaded with 1/8" beads and pyrography (most of my beaded platters feature 3/16" beads).

Actual size of Pima original platter is unknown, but I estimate that this 10" platter is 50% of the original.

Detail photo.

Pima Inspired Bowl

 

I originally turned this bowl in 2015 with the naked beads and with a much smaller center. 

That unfinished piece has been sitting as a UFO until last week.

Last month the woodturning club I belong to (MSWG) had a demonstration on what I call mosaic illusion embellishing of platters.  

This month MSWG club President announced  a "President's Bowl Challenge for next meeting on 9/18/2021.

I decided to complete what I call a two·fer.  

I enlarged the center of the unfinished bowl and added Basket Illusion embellishing.

 (similar to but not the same as mosaic illusion)

6-3/4 inches in diameter / hard maple

The design inspiration came from this Pima basket tray made in 1900-1910.

Side view of my bowl.

Detail view of my bowl.

Top view of my bowl.

Bottom view of my bowl.

Midsouth Woodturning Guild's February 2021 President's Challenge

February's challenge was to make a utilitarian kitchen item 

that was NOT a bowl and was NOT made from a kit.

Shown above is my decorative canning jar lid.

Wood - Hard Maple

Salt Boxes
Wood - Hard Maple

Mortar and pestle
Wood - Hard Maple & Cherry 

Basket Illusion Tray

Pima Indian design from around 1910

called the Whirling Log Design

Today we call this a platter

but it was originally called a tray.

Wood is White Limba

9 1/2 inches in diameter

1 1/2 inches in depth

Twin Stars (basket illusion my way)

Material - Cherry

12 3/4" diameter x 2"

 Back view of Twin Stars

(all photos will supersize if double clicked)

Additional Discovery

Hard Maple

Inspired by a Pima Native American Tray.

Tray is 12 1/2 " diameter and 1 3/4" tall.

Back

Detail

New Discovery

Front of platter

New Discovery

13.5" diameter

Back of platter

Hard Maple

Inspired by a Pima Native American basket

(reminder - double click to supersize photos)

Detail photo of the rim

Outdoor photo - front of platter

Latest Platter

Front

Traditional Man in Maze design

1/8th inch beading

Back

Maple

10" diameter

Navajo Wedding Platter

photo will supersize if double-clicked

Cedar basket illusion platter

15" diameter

Reverse side bears same pattern

Here is some background on the tradition:

The basket is viewed as a map, through which the Navajo people chart their lives. 

The central spot in the basket represents the sipapu, 

where the Navajo people emerged from the prior world through a reed. 

As the people emerged, all was white. 

The inner coils of the basket are white to represent this lightness, or birth. 

As you travel outward on the coils you begin to encounter more and more black. 

The black represents darkness, struggle and pain; the darker side of life. 

As you make your way through the darkness you eventually reach 

the red bands, which represent marriage; the mixing of your blood 

with your spouse and the creation of family. 

The red is pure. During this time there is no darkness. 

Traveling out of the familial bands you encounter more darkness, 

however, the darkness is interspersed with white light. 

The light represents increasing enlightenment, 

which expands until you enter the all white banding of the outer rim. 

This banding represents the spirit world, where there is no darkness. 

The line from the center of the basket to the outer rim is there 

to remind you that no matter how much darkness you encounter in your world, 

there is always a pathway to the light. 

source info

Sisters in Motion

Short video showing the pair of mahogany bowls in motion.

See previous post for specifics on the two bowls.

Sisters

This pair of mahogany basket illusion bowls

was inspired by two circa 1890 Apache baskets.

Traditional motifs include 

stepped diamonds and whirling lines.

The colors are also based in Apache tradition -

dark browns paired with deep reds.
(Apache reds came from yucca roots)

Each bowl measures 11" diameter x 4" deep.

(Photos will supersize if double clicked)

Feathers for Millie

Front view

11.5" diameter basket illusion platter

unknown wood - turned dry

Pima Indian inspired design

Back view

Why Feathers for Millie?

My wife's friend Lynne has a tuxedo cat named Millie.

Lynne adopted Millie after the formerly feral kitten was hit by a car

and rescued by the kindness of a diverse group of cat bloggers.

Millie likes to sit in the window and watch the birds.

(this link takes you to a perfect example)

Birds have feathers . . . 

1/8th inch beading

(Photos will supersize if double clicked)

It's About Time

 

 

Front

 11" diameter x 2" high

 Wood - White Limba

 

Back

 Inspired by Pima Native American Indian baskets 

Basket Illusion Platter

 

Front

 

11" diameter x 2" high

 

Wood - White Limba

 

 

 

 

Back

 

 

 

Detail

 

Inspired by Pima Native American Indian baskets