Art Fx is a year-long series on Huntsville Doppler featuring Huntsville-area visual artists.
Brian Markham is a woodturner who finds inspiration in the rugged landscapes and natural beauty of Muskoka. His art reveals the complexity and warmth of wood and he specializes in burl.
A burl is a rounded shape on the side of a tree that interrupts the growth pattern and results in uniquely formed and detailed wood, Brian explains. The variations in colour, bark inclusions, and complex figuring add to the beauty of Brian’s bowls, platters and tables.
Brian studies the bark covered burl and turns it on his lathe to best complement its shape and characteristics. The process of sanding, polishing and many coats of a specially blended oil produce a durable, food-safe finish.
“Burl art connects you to nature and adds beauty to your home or cottage,” says Brian.
Big Leaf Maple Burl Platter
Medium: wood
Size: 18” round x 3” high
Cost: $700
About the artist:
Brian celebrates nature as he creates his burl art in his workshop on Rebecca Lake near Huntsville. A founding member of the Artists of the Limberlost, his workshop is open to the public by appointment throughout the year and during the annual studio tour in August.
Find him online at limberlostwoodturning.com, on Instagram @brian.markham.woodturner, or on
Facebook at Brian Markham-Limberlost Woodturning.
See more local art in Doppler’s Art Fx series here.
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Leslie Garrett says
We have purchased several works by Brian and love all of them. People who have visited us have commented on the beauty of his work. We have also visited his studio several times during the artists of limberlost tour and it was a wonderful environment with Brian and his family.
Mike Irving says
Gorgeous. It’s great to see wood used in various art forms in addition to typical construction projects like wood fencing. I wonder how long it typically takes to make a burl platter, from start to finish.