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Remo woodturner, Piatra Neamt (2026)

09/06/2019

Working after work on a sheoak sphere

17/04/2019

Collection of the State of Hawaii
Artist: Derek Bencomo
Media / Completion Year: turned wood bowl / 1995
Overall Dimensions / Image Dimensions: 17 x 14 x 15
Artwork Subject: vessel

This the very first piece that I made combining wood turning and wood carving.
I remember one day of just going for it. I had no idea on how to make it and what the final result would be. Since this is the first piece, I didn't know how far I could push the material, so this piece is thicker then others that followed.
The annual 1995 Hawaiian Craftsmen juried exhibition was coming up and I didn't know if I should enter this piece as I didn't know how it would be received because nothing like this had been done before. I entered the exhibit and this piece was accepted. I attended the opening as was quite surprised that the State of Hawaii purchased this piece. This gave me the confidence to keep pushing myself in this direction.
35 years later in my career, i'm happy to say that the first 5 pieces that i made in this style are in museum collections.
Number one is in The State of Hawaii Collection, Piece number 3 is in the Yale University Art Museum, pieces 4 and 5 are in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Renwick, Piece number 2 was exhibited at the Museum of Art and Design in New York and is now in the Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.