Ryan Alden: Sandblasted Tomato with Buddha Bamboo Tobacco Pipe

Most of the time when we see artisans employ Buddha bamboo in their designs, they typically go with the stouter variations of the stuff, lending the composition a charmingly chubby, organic disposition. Here in this Tomato, however, American carver Ryan Alden has used a trimmer sort that seems to pulsate in the manner of traditional knuckles atypical of this particular variety. That said, he's kept the balance and rhythm between bamboo and the stem and stummel quite sound, complementing the trimmer extension with a broad, squat Tomato bowl and a seriously abbreviated shank. The overall effect is one of continuous taper from fore to bit, really tying the composition together nicely. What's more, in this example he's finished the stummel in a crisp tanblast, unveiling some impressive ring grain all around. Beautiful work from the Texas-based carver.

- Andrew Wike