Kokeshi Peppermill & Saltshaker [Jan 2023] get a link to this artwork

katalox, red elm, maple
[9¼" high x 2½" diameter; 8½" high x 2½" diameter]

This is a peppermill and saltshaker set that looks like kokeshi dolls. 😆

The peppermill's body is made from Katalox (a.k.a. Mexican Royal Ebony) -- a wonderful wood that is dense and feels so nice when polished smooth. Its face is spalted maple. The hair is also maple, but I burned it with a torch to darken it and give it a bit of texture. Then I applied a wash of purple dye over the hair. Its grinding mechanism is a high-quality ceramic grinder from CrushGrind®.

The saltshaker's body is made from red elm. I love the subtle coloring in that piece of wood, and the way some of the grain overlaps itself. The face and hair are made from maple. I used my torch to darken its hair, which was then covered with a wash of blue dye. Both pieces were finished with non-toxic tung oil.