Craftsman uses wood to make lovely bowls
J.D. Harris lives quietly on a patch of land among the wooded hills west of Fordyce.
A retired Georgia-Pacific millwright and accomplished musician, Harris spends his days hunting, trapping, gardening and fabricating wooden mosaic bowls. His intricate craftsmanship uses a variety of wood species, including pine, cedar, aspen, oak, gum, walnut and mahogany. The different woods incorporated in the round vessels have varying colors that mix forming a mesmerizing display of hues and geometric shapes.
Asked how long it takes to put one of his creations together, the 91-year-old chuckled softly and said, “Don’t even ask. I have no idea. It’s not the kind of thing you can rush. I have to cut and plane all the pieces, then gradually glue and clamp it all together. That part alone can take days to cure.”
One bowl and lid may contain as many as 230 separate pieces of wood flawlessly fitted together with precision.
Asked how many of his wooden works of art he has made so far, he answered, “I made 47 last year.” His inventory of most recently completed pieces totals over 20 on hand for purchase. Explaining the motivation be
hind this labor of love, Harris simply says, “It gets me out of the house.”
Over recent years, Harris has experienced the loss of both his grown son, Ricky, and his wife of more than half a century, Dorthey. Being the ever-resourceful country-gentleman that he is, time on his hands wasn’t going to get him down. Instead he rolled up his sleeves and got sawdust on them.
Nearly everyday, he spends a good part of his time crafting his masterful and meticulously shaped pieces. Driving home the individual nature of every bowl, Harris said, “If you can find any two alike, I’ll give them to you.” Otherwise, they’re $50 apiece, he said.