Gallery of Joshua Salesin's ornamental turning

"Using antique machines and tools that date back to the early 1800s, Salesin applies age-old techniques to create exquisitely detailed wood objects. The result is fine contemporary craft that is original, engaging and beautiful."

Bumpy Ellipse Box

Turned from a solid piece of African blackwood, this tactile treasure is fashioned using a special apparatus to produce and equally divide an ellipse. The design is a culmination of several years of refinement with a combination of ornamental lathe and rose engine lathe turning techniques.

Ornamental Spoon

Turned on five centers and made from a single piece of rosewood, the ornamental spoon is a one-of-a-kind addition for your culinary collection!

Ribbon Boxes

Ribbon Boxes are formed on the rose engine lathe which allows lathe-turned objects that are typically round to take on all sorts of geometric shapes. Bands of African blackwood undulate the exterior of a single solid piece of wood, while a medallion accentuates the interior.

Ribbon Bowls

Ribbon Bowls extend the variety of decorative possibilities inherent in rose engine turning to the standard form and function of classic bowls. It is this ability of ornamental turning—to raise utilitarian objects into the realm of decorative arts—that is particularly magical.

Bumpy Box

A tactile treasure made with a combination of ornamental lathe and rose engine lathe turning techniques. Features amboyna burl set in African blackwood.

Lattice Boxes

Part Victorian, part victorious, these delightful boxes feature intricate pierced patterns that form lattice windows to a glowing interior. A perfect ring box (plus a small secret compartment) for a very special occasion!

Pieces shown made from mopane, blackwood, and lignum vitae with european boxwood inserts.

Pattern Bowls

The Pattern Bowls combine detailed ornamental turning with the natural colors of exotic hardwoods from around the world. The resulting vessels are larger than the Mandala Cup Series (as large as 10" diameter) and radiate expanded designs that interplay with subtle variations of the wood grain.

A Pattern Bowls photo was selected for the Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County's 2006 calendar.

Pierced Box Set

The Pierced Box Set features matching interior and exterior carved patterns using an antique ornamental lathe. Fashioned from African blackwood and other rare and exotic hardwoods, these ornamental boxes display delicate and demanding craftsmanship, including a screw-top lid with hand-cut threads and inset gemstone.

The Pierced Box Set (as pictured above) was recently selected for Best of California, part of a series of spectacular hard cover books highlighting American artisans.

[ photo ]

Pagoda Box

Fashioned from African blackwood and accented with the natural glow of European boxwood, this intricate design features five separate boxes from the combination of 21 different parts, all hand turned using an ornamental lathe and rose engine lathe. The form was inspired by the Ruiguang pagoda, the earliest Buddhist temple in Suzhou built in the year 247.

• View entire pagoda box
• View pagoda box with burl base

The Pagoda Box was awarded the Master's Cup at the 2010 Ornamental Turners International symposium.

Classic Dome Boxes

Set on fluted sides, hundreds of pointed cuts intersect to form a shimmering dome top. Inside, animated patterns delight the eye. Each box is turned from a solid piece of African blackwood using an antique ornamental lathe, cutting frames and cutters.

• View inside the three boxes

Lighthouse Boxes

Produced entirely on a one-hundred seventy-two year old ornamental lathe, the Lighthouse Box Series explores finely cut surface ornamentation and pierced-through architectural fretwork in the form of a lighthouse. Fashioned from African blackwood and accented with the natural glow of European boxwood, each of these spectacular designs features multiple "secret" threaded compartments. They are exceptional hand-crafted pieces that offer the perfect presentation box for once-in-a-lifetime occasions and will be cherished for generations. A beacon to behold!

A Lighthouse Box was awarded 3rd place at the 2009 Northwest Fine Woodworking box show.

Good Vibes Box

Wiggly, wavy, wonderful! This contemporary box design is both a tactile treasure and candy for the eyes. The reciprocated exterior patterns radiate energy and the flowing inner design provides the focal point or center of force – a kind of chakra. Together they combine to create good vibes all around!

Made from a solid piece of African Blackwood.

Planet Box Collaboration

The Planet Box Series is the result of a collaboration with renowned turner Mike Shuler. The design features an outer ring made from hundreds of individual segments carefully crafted to yield an amazing pattern. Two threaded half-spheres, when opened, reveal a dazzling interior. Together they form a planetary box that is out of this world!

The Planet Box (as pictured above) is made of African blackwood and pink ivorywood along with hundreds of segments of gabon ebony and Brazilian tulipwood.

Mandala Cup Series

The Mandala Cup Series reflects a fascination with pattern and light. The elegant simplicity of the cup form serves as a container for intricate, three-dimensional patterns that begin at the rim and draw inward to the center resembling the circular designs of a mandala. In the Buddhist tradition, the mandala is seen as a symbol of the universe and used as a tool for meditation. Carl Jung viewed the mandala as a vessel into which we project our psyche. Fashioned from African blackwood, the organic spiral and floret patterns are achieved using an antique hand-powered rose engine lathe. There are currently sixteen different designs in the Mandala Cup Series.

• View Mandala Cup Series

A matched set of five Mandala Cup designs (as pictured above) was acquisitioned for the permanent collection of the Wood Turning Center.

Joshua Salesin

Fine Contemporary Craft & Ornamental Turning

Photo of "Pattern Bowl" Artwork