Curt Theobald (USA) segmented ash vessel 14x9cm. SignedRay Key was a giant of a man and a giant in the field of woodturning in the way he freely shared his skills and knowledge. I feel honoured to participate in this collaboration. I first met Ray at the Utah Woodturning Symposium in the mid 1990’s. I was inspired by the speed and proficiency Ray exhibited during his demonstrations. Ray was well known for his timeless and pure forms. For years I have used an image of one of Ray’s bowls from my collection to describe all the right things to do when considering form.When I was approached by the AWGB to participate in the collaborative, I wondered what a segmented woodturner could do to a rough turned vessel started by Ray Key. When the vessel arrived, the lingering question was, “What could I do to this classic Ray Key vessel to put my fingerprint on the collaborative?” I knew I needed to keep intact Ray’s vision of the form when he rough turned the vessel many years ago. I also wanted to emphasize the grain as did Ray when he chose this particular part of the log. Being a segmented woodturner, I immediately knew I had to cut it apart and reassemble it to show my fingerprint.I meticulously measured and marked so I knew where I could safely cut and reassemble the vessel to enable correct grain alignment of the Ash. There were a few massive flaws that would pose a problem for me, so I choose to replace those parts with Ebony. Between the vertical and horizontal segments of Ash, I placed a piece of black veneer to create a brick wall effect that in a way signifies the building blocks of the woodturning world. The solid pieces of Ebony reflect the dark hole left in the field from Ray’s passing. The windows I cut into the Ebony signify the openness Ray Key exhibited in his willingness to share his knowledge. I could almost hear Ray’s booming voice and boisterous laugh as I completed the vessel.The Ray Key Collaboration Auction