Jerry McKey, Tolga, QLD

Aeg (egg)
220 x 90 x 70mm h

Materials
The small tree, about 80 mm in diameter, from which this box was formed was found spanning a dry creek gorge, both ends buried in the sand. I came across it while wandering off on foot from the road between Atherton and Herberton in the mountains west of Cairns in North Queensland. I am told it is a species of Acacia. I can only speculate as to how long it had to have been there for the beautiful sun-bleached surface to develop. The silvering happens very differently for different species, different grays and different textures developing along with the modifications of white ants and rot. It is surprisingly rare to find a piece grayed all around like this one.

Method of Construction
I attempted several ways of forming natural rounds into boxes, none so chancey to make or with such an interesting result as the simple techniques employed here.
Mr. Square and Mr. Plumb were very little use on this project. A section of the branch was cut lengthwise and roughly hollowed inside with an arbortech carving wheel. Working out the cut angles to close the form was by a 'blow of the eye' attempting to guess matching profiles when fitted together. These were freehand cuts with the drop saw, belt sanded and glued with slow epoxy. Each half shell was then flattened. The inside was finished with carving chisels and hand sanding after adding the walnut 'key' pieces that place the lid. The inside finish is a few coats of brushed lacquer.

Finish
I experimented with many finishes to preserve the silver. None did. I found that skin oil, like the finishes turns the gray almost black, but of course only where it is touched repeatedly. This allows the Aeg to change in accord with the owners handling, creating new patterns of silver and dark.
The finished piece is 220 x 90 x 70mm high. The photographs are extraordinary. However, the silvers are of a myriad of grays like in a cloud laden late afternoon sky, impossible to convey.

Photos: Michelle McLellan