I use burls and slabs from dead-standing Alligator Juniper trees, grown in the desert forests of New Mexico, to fashion my bowls.  Unlike turned bowls, I use the natural lines and shapes of the wood to determine the design of the bowl.  Great care is taken in drawing the design out of the wood. The turquoise, silver and other stones I use for my inlays are matched to the natural voids in the bowl.  This often creates the appearance that the wood is growing around the stone.  After a careful polishing, my bowls are finished with oil and wax which reveals the grain patterns in the wood.