Vine Wood
The torsion, twist and writhing form of this piece of wood make it a favourite ‘object’. Normally I think of stone, but quite a few of my collected things are pieces of wood which have appealed for their raw natural beauty and energy.
It is vine wood – in fact from Chateau Margaux. Some of the best wines come from older vines (so I’m told), though I understand there is a case of a vine entering into the diminishing returns category after half a century or so. Growers are fastidious in their pruning and tending, and I think this piece came from an old vine that had been uprooted and replaced with a new plant.
I’m reflecting on all those years of care and training this wood had, how it fed its fruits, produced and yielded, and of its colour and fibre texture come from the soil surrounding its roots, and those specific natural conditions ‘the terroir’.
I hope it feels it can rest now, here on my shelf.
7 Comments
All that history, frozen in a moment.
Yes, packaged in about 9″ of polished wood – must be why it has energy
I have a similar old gnarled piece of wood I picked up on a river trip one year.
They’re lovely when river worn, shapes made softer by the water. I found a piece which was black, like bog oak, it was quite big, but nevertheless I carried it home – but when it dried it lost its charm rather. Still have it, but don’t quite know what to do with it. Did you polish yours?
Nice piece of wood, near were we live there is a reservoir were a lot of wood collects on the bank, even pallet wood can look beautiful after been bashed about in the water for awhile, some years ago we brought a load home and made them into kitchen shelf’s were I display my pots.
Amanda xx
Thanks Amanda – you’re right and what a lovely idea to have made your shelves – you’ll have to share it sometime.
No, it wasn’t waterlogged and it was in a near desert area, looked more like driftwood.