Askwith: Sandblasted Morta Freehand Scoop

Starting with a rather sleek shank-and-stem combination, this Scoop from Chris Askwith, then, transitions suddenly into a round and bulbous bowl in profile. It resembles a bubble on the end of a straw, inflating dramatically and urging forward in an attempt to float free. Such a silhouette, though, is deceptive, and when viewed from above or below, this pipe takes on a completely different character: From an aerial perspective, the bowl is dramatically pinched at the flanks — like the Opera shape — and barely extends past the width of the shank. While the profile presents a rounded, bulging aesthetic, a bird's eye view contrasts with a sleek, cutting demeanor. Such a disparity of perspectives makes this piece intriguing and exciting to analyze, and having been fashioned from morta and sandblasted, the grain patterns are equally delightful. Such playful and eye-catching motifs are typical from the English carver, further supported by his use of a bright polyester stem of creamy white hues for a formal black-and-white palette.