February 26, 2008

Wood You Be Mine?

Laura Yeats Bowls

When your line of work involves everything from back-door bleaching to turd removal, it takes something rather shocking to move you.

Or something exquisitely simple, like reclaimed wood bowls by Laura Yeats.

After an epiphany while road-tripping through the NoCal redwoods, Yeats ditched her day job to become a Lorax-like woodworker who speaks for the trees, creating elegant tableware and furniture from felled red elm, burled walnut, madrona, and more.

We admired Yeats’s specially commissioned pieces at Grey Gallery and were dying to bring home a bit of her sweet nature with something from her SoDo showroom. It’s tempting to snatch up a whole set of food-safe salad bowls and platters with gnarled edges and perfect-looking imperfections.

But please. Let’s not go overboard.

Available at Urban Hardwoods, 4755 Colorado Avenue South (206-766-8199); Ornamo, 301 Occidental Avenue South (206-859-6492). To see styles, go to laurayeats.com.