The “Purple Rain” bowl started as a mistake which quickly became a design opportunity. I grabbed a spray can with a clear lid, so I thought I had clear lacquer. Nope… It was purple. So the outside of the bowl received a full coat of purple paint, which was then sanded off almost everywhere except for some deep spots and where the paint soaked into the grain. Then it received a coat of the correct, clear lacquer!

Made from a Black Oak out of East Texas, the grain and spalting was too beautiful to not make something out of it. The center has a knot and crack from a branch, which has been filled with shavings from the bowl. The outside has two gouges from softer grain that was scraped out, which now helps to highlight the purple mistake. The base was left thicker on purpose to avoid the gouges going through.

It’s a great catch-all dish for spare change, keys, love notes, and of course… M&Ms…