J. Alan: Sandblasted Volcano (1145) Tobacco Pipe

When finishing a pipe in a deep, craggy sandblast, the defining lines of any given shape can sometimes become muddled — hidden behind the block's pronounced, undulating rings once blasted. So how does a pipe maker preserve those integral lines while still bringing out sufficient depth and texture when blasting? If you're Jeff Gracik, the answer is obvious: you avoid this problem entirely by highlighting the form's silhouette with hard, crisp teardrop-like ridges along the principle lines, and only along those lines.

That's exactly what he's done here in this Volcano, lining the underside of each flank and the top-left side of the shank with crisp, pronounced edges so that, even after finishing the piece in such a craggy blast, the complex asymmetry of the form is still evident. The absence of this top fluting line along the right flank creates the illusion of added girth, which in turn emphasizes the leaning gesture of the bowl itself. It's this smart use of pronounced ridges and lines that's allowed Jeff to create such a complex interpretation, and do it all while showcasing some of the deepest ring grain we've seen from him to date. Beautiful piece.

- Andrew Wike