The Tübatulabal are an indigenous people of the Kern River Valley area of Southern California and are related to the Aztec. The literal meaning of the name is "pine nut eaters". Stones were heated in a fire and then placed in the baskets to cook the food. This basket illusion measures 13⅝" diameter and about 3½" deep. The wood is maple. It was donated to the 2017 Christmas auction of the Woodturners of North Texas.

There are not enough descriptive praise words to do this justice.

Thanks for posting Billy, never would have imagined. What a beautiful basket.
Herb

Wow! X1K +

A work of art. And, had to be a supreme test of patience. A beautiful piece, Billy.

Nicely Done! Would love to see more of your work.

 

steve

OH MY!!!

So much detailed work and so very well done.

Blown away, I don't know how, but it's incredible, absolutely incredible. Thank you for the culture lesson too Billy.

That is a great one Bill. Love the way you do the bottom. Are you back to turning yet?

 

Superb Billy. A true piece of art.

Loved the story to go with it.

How many hours do you have in a piece such as this? The detailing is incredible.

Thank you everybody for the nice comments.  David Nittmann once said that it helps to be half nuts to do these basket illusions .... so I guess that means I am qualified.

 

On 3/20/2018 at 9:25 PM, Grandpadave52 said:

Superb Billy. A true piece of art.

Loved the story to go with it.

How many hours do you have in a piece such as this? The detailing is incredible.

About three or four months, sometimes a few hours a day and sometimes all day long plus time and a half overtime towards the end to get it finished in time for the auction.

On 3/20/2018 at 11:10 AM, Gerald said:

That is a great one Bill. Love the way you do the bottom. Are you back to turning yet?

 

I'm finally back, Gerald, after nearly two years of not being able to turn.  I did some turning yesterday and man am I rusty.  It's a good thing that nobody was watching as I made a funnel.  Well, my wife saw it and said, "Awwwww". 

On 3/19/2018 at 3:21 PM, Steve Krumanaker said:

Nicely Done! Would love to see more of your work.

 

steve

Here is a link that has some of my work plus some of the pieces that we've collected from other turners: http://www.pbase.com/bill_boehme/woodturning

Here is a link to some more of my work on the AAW site: http://www.woodturner.org/gallery/ViewAlbum.aspx?id=22845674

and here is a bunch more of my turnings on the AAW forum:  http://www.aawforum.org/community/index.php?media/albums/bill-boehmes-album.628/

Many of the [pieces appear on all three sites.  Most of my turnings are donated to various worthy causes.  I am currently starting on another basket illusion that will be donated to the SWAT symposium 2-for-1 drawing in August.

On 3/20/2018 at 12:10 PM, Gerald said:

That is a great one Bill. Love the way you do the bottom. Are you back to turning yet?

 

Doh... It just occurred to me who is "BillyB". I shouldn't be surprised, Bill is one of the artists who inspired me to learn to turn some years ago. If he thinks back he'll remember me asking him and John Lucas so many questions on the old WOOD forums

 

Steve

On 3/23/2018 at 5:27 AM, Steve Krumanaker said:

Doh... It just occurred to me who is "BillyB". I shouldn't be surprised, Bill is one of the artists who inspired me to learn to turn some years ago. If he thinks back he'll remember me asking him and John Lucas so many questions on the old WOOD forums

 

Steve

I definitely remember you from the from the former WOOD Online forum , Steve ... and I am very pleased to see that you have developed into a very accomplished turner and respectable member of society despite my influence.  It must have been that John Lucas was able to have enough positive influence to override my "help".