Adam Davidson: Smooth Japanese Boxwood Tomato with Bamboo Tobacco Pipe

When Adam Davidson received a piece of boxwood from Hiroyuki Tokutomi in 2014, he wasn't exactly sure how or when he was going to use it. The perfect opportunity presented itself, though, when Adam found out about this year's American Exposition's theme: Alternative mediums.

Taking the Exposition's challenge to heart, Davidson has fashioned this Tomato using only non-traditional materials for every aspect of the piece. There's no briar, no acrylic, no vulcanite. The bowl itself is Japanese boxwood, married to a thick shank of a single knuckle of bamboo and a bakelite stem. Japanese boxwood has a paler, more creamy hue than its European counterpart, which works well in this piece as it matches the bamboo's light tinge. Adam himself harvested the bamboo from South Carolina — a symbolic detail, considering its place in the American Exposition. Continuing the pale palette motif, Adam then added a lemongrass-hued bakelite stem (a material we rarely see used in his other work), giving the impression that the pipe is made from one sole material when viewed from afar, rather than three completely separate mediums.

Stylistically, Adam's work ranges from conservative, modern interpretations of English classics (like his iconic Lorraine shape) to more organic renditions (such as his signature Fig). This Tomato hews closer to the latter category, displaying smooth lines and given a natural aesthetic by the bamboo. My favorite detail about this piece is how Adam has slightly canted the bowl's waistline in such a way that it lines up with the boxwood's sand dune-line grain. Such a features provides a touch of asymmetry that further accentuates the piece's organicism and adds a subtle uniqueness that can't be unnoticed once realized. It's stunning work from the American carver who never fails to intentionally and meticulously account for every intricate detail.