Yeti: Partially Sandblasted Nautilus (254) Tobacco Pipe

With his brilliantly forward-reaching, crisply-shaped forms, coupled with a Danish sense of line, and often an exquisite use of the block's natural idiosyncrasies, it's readily evident that Micah Cryder's body of work is influenced by the likes of Bo Nordh. In fact, one of the more recent pieces we saw from the American carver was inspired by Nordh's own Ballerina. And this is yet another Nordh-inspired shape rendition, as well as the first Nautilus we have seen from Micah. It's arguably one of the most compact and tightly-knit pieces we've seen from him yet, and it is certainly a unique take on the shape, to say the least.

Defined by curved, subtly floral, and forward-poised bowl fused to a complementing, rounded, shell-like aft via neatly-tucked transition, it's unlike the assortment of curled, spiral-clad homages to the sea we've seen from carvers in times past. The finish is a fusion as well, though one of a different sort. Dark, lightly-blasted briar to the left flank, and polished, chestnut smoothness on the right, oriented in a neat cross-cut pattern, makes for a pleasant tactile experience, not to mention a stunning visual effect. An awesome piece from Micah Cryder.

- Daniel Bumgardner