Burl Bowls

Conservationist Harry Nohr of Mineral Point, Wisconsin began making burl bowls in 1960 and soon his bowls were known nationally. Nohr utilized almost every native Wisconsin hardwood, but his most interesting bowls came from burls, large, rounded outgrowths on the trunks and branches of trees. Nohr was particularly fond of these works and noted, “Trees are a lot like people. A tree is a lot prettier if it had to struggle to grow.” Through his burl bowls, each of which took one to two years to create, Nohr communicated the natural essence of the wood. He described the bowls as instant heirlooms, “They’re treasures, they are so beautiful they will be passed on from generation to generation among a family’s most prized possessions.” Nohr wanted others to appreciate nature and to maintain the strong connection between his work and Wisconsin’s natural environment.

Harry Nohr with a burl sample and a finished bowl
Photo courtesy of Western Publishing Company, Inc.