Zach LaPerriere, Wood Artist

I make wood bowls to showcase the outstanding old growth forests of Southeast Alaska. Every bowl tells a story of the life and growth of an ancient tree. Because I work in woods that average 100 to 500 years old, I take extra time to shape each bowl to show what is most unique about the tree it came from. All of the wood I work with comes from trees I salvage myself. Because I only salvage dead trees from deep in the forest, it is the forest that makes the first decision about which trees become bowls—not me. My work surfs the line between studio art and functional art, between craftsman and artist. My customers often tell me that my bowls are too beautiful to use. While displaying my bowls as art is fine and appreciated: I also believe that art should at least be able to be used, so the choice is yours. Each bowl is cut with sharp tools, sanded to a high luster, and finished with a blend of 100% food grade tung oil, citrus oil, and tree rosin. Unlike many wood products, I do not use any synthetic ingredients, driers, or heavy metals. All of my bowls are certified Made in Alaska, and all bowls come from trees that grew within a dozen miles of Sitka, Alaska. About the artist: I live in a small historic cabin near Sitka where the forest meets the ocean. My wife, three sons and I live a subsistence lifestyle—which means that we harvest and grow much of our food locally. I have been a full-time woodworker all of my adult life and a full-time artist for the past five. I was raised in Ketchikan, have lived in Sitka for 18 years, and have called Southeast Alaska home for nearly 40 years.