Xitiva

This is a pair of oval shaped wooden bowls sitting on a wooden plane, all carved from one block of wood. Between the bowls sit two wooden espresso cups. This piece is inspired by the Swazi traditional meat plate Umgcwembe. The process starts with selecting the right size of round jarcanda wood, debarking it and cutting it to size with hand saws. The shape is refined with a razor sharp cutting knife and sandpaper, which smoothens the body. Wood oil is applied to give out a rich tan colour and protect the wood from dirt.