Sandblasted Tomato with Bamboo (Turtle) Tobacco Pipe

What strikes me about this piece, other than Gabriele's excellent craftsmanship, is his deft use of materials. Here in this squat Tomato is featured three completely separate materials, yet each make up almost equal portions of the overall piece and shine in their own individual ways. Starting at the bit, the saddle mouthpiece has been fashioned from cumberland, imbued with its woodsy striations and deep red-brown hue; for the shank, Gabriele has elected to use two knuckles of dark-hued bamboo, ensuring a seamless transition from stem to shank simply based on color, yet adding in a touch of texture through the rhythm of its knuckles; finally, the thick-walled, portly bowl has been stained a ruby red, making it stand out in contrast to the darker stem and shank, yet still marrying it to the overall palette. The sandblast, then, does well to match the texture of the bamboo as well as the cumberland's visually textured surface, all while showing off flame grain on its fore and underside and crisp birdseye along the flanks. A truly composite yet complete piece of art.