Bespoke
Most Sounding Bowls are made to order. We give the time and care that’s needed to ensure everyone is matched with a Bowl that suits their needs. If you are not sure what to choose from the Shop we offer guidance throughout the choosing process, in person here at the studio, by video-link or by email, with no obligation at all. Or you are welcome to join one of our workshops if you would like to experience the Bowls at work before finalising your decision.
If the piece you want, need or dream of is not yet made, or is already sold, we have hundreds of pieces of wood put aside, ready to make yours from. If you choose to commission us we guarantee that you will be delighted with what we make for you. Historically, over 99% have been delighted with our first attempt to fulfil their dream. Three times we have made a second piece for a customer. Each of them has then been delighted. If, for any reason our first attempt does not move you, you are not bound to accept it. We will make you another until you are completely happy! A deposit taken against an order is carried over until you are happy with your Sounding Bowl. Making a Sounding Bowl to order allows us to direct it to you and your intentions, creating something special and unique.
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When commissioning a Sounding Bowl the 3 major things to consider are:
We have over 200 pieces of wood in a dozen species ready and waiting to become your Sounding Bowl. If the right piece for you is not among these we have a handful of specialist wood suppliers who can offer us musical quality hardwoods. Every human being is multifaceted and we are confident we can find a piece that will gell with you and your purposes to healing effect. This is not always of the species that the customer first imagined. “The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing”
Our makers tune into the aesthetics of each Bowl throughout the making process to create instruments of beauty and depth. Each and every Sounding Bowl that is produced in our workshop is unique in appearance, there is however, further opportunity for you to add your personal touch, symbolism or sentiment to your Bowl. Below are a few examples of ways you can do this.
The trees asked the owner of this Plane-wood Lyre Bowl to sing their song and so the multi-coloured tuning peg were made from various wood types in honour of the trees that she will be working with.
The owner of this Yew Bridging Bowl works with worlds above and below our normal awareness.
In the weaving of these two she holds our present reality to be created.
The mood of a Bowl can be varied greatly with different coloured pegs or stain washes. Staining the whole Bowl is something we sometimes do on stock items. On a commission we do this only at a customer’s request. Staining the pegs is usually done to the maker’s artistic eye for the Bowl and wood in hand; but we are happy to discuss this with you should you have a particular preference of colour.
We carve five feet onto the underside of the Bowls because five is the number representative of Man and of transformational change. The feet are individually carved into a pattern that is harmonious with the wood and shape of the Bowl; they are a mark of the artistic involvement of the individual maker. If someone has particular needs with regards to the shaping of their feet we are always happy to discuss this with them otherwise they can rest assured that the choice of foot shape will be an integral artistic whole with the sound, feel and look of their instrument.