Local Artist of the Week: Richard Ruehle-Large "Rustic" Australian Yellow Box Burl Platter

This extremely impressive (17 inches in diameter and weighing more than 4 pounds) reddish-brown burl wood platter crafted from a single large burl from the fascinating yellow box tree in Australia exhibits all of the characteristics that make burl wood so inviting to wood turners.  The surface of the platter is covered by patches and swirls which clearly show how irregular is the wood grain in a burl.  Its rustic quality comes from the cracks in the wood (some of which extend completely through the platter) which is also characteristic of burl.  The yellow box tree is famous for its unique ability to protect itself from "predator" insects by altering the genetic makeup of its leaves, thus changing their smell and making them less attractive to the various insects that like to feed on them.  The platter is signed and numbered (#2933) by the artist.

This piece is accompanied by an official Certificate of Provenance issued by The Collector Gallery at Objects of Desire Artful Living attesting to your ownership of an original work of art.