Flávia Rodrigues: Sandblasted Lumberman with Jupati Tobacco Pipe

Brazilian artisan Flávia Rodrigues showcases a penchant for reinterpreting classic shapes through her own creative prism. The result is always breathtaking in its sophistication, marrying expert engineering with stylish finishes and truly stunning accenting materials. She received instruction from Gustavo Cunha of MarTelo pipes and studied the work of Tom Eltang, Hans "Former" Nielsen, and Chris Asteriou, and her appreciation of pipe making as an art form is evident in every design she produces. This Lumberman nicely illustrates Rodrigues' design sensibility, which is equal parts classic and modern.

As is typical for the form, this piece pairs a tall, upright bowl to a protracted oval shank and a slender, abbreviated saddle stem of jet-black vulcanite, resulting in a sleek, understated profile. The shank-and-stem arrangement keeps the form lightweight and streamlined, allowing the finish and accenting material to take center stage alongside the shape's elegant build. A warm, rugged tanblast dresses the stummel and unveils scales of growth rings across the flanks of the bowl, providing plenty of textural and visual detail for the eyes and fingers to explore. A spotted jupati wood accent graces the junction and provides a touch of smoothness and contrasting color and visual texture to the composition for further intrigue.