Margaret Dorfman makes beautiful functional art out of fresh fruit and vegetables!!!

"Beet," "Starfruit," and "Papaya"

(Cuffs available at http://www.uncommongoods.com/ for $35.00)

These are stunning organic bracelet cuffs "handmade from fresh fruits and vegetables that are first cured, pressed, aged and dried into a translucent parchment sheet. The sheet is then fused to a copper cuff that shine through a very thin paper producing a lovely glow."

"Purple Potatoes"
(Available at www.uncommongoods.com. Also, available in Mexican Papaya.)

These beautiful bowls are made from purple potatoes. They are hand created slice by slice fresh purple potatoes. Margaret Dorfman says that they are "cured, pressed and aged for 10-12 days" Uncommon Goods states, that they are "named after the translucent surfaces used for writing in medieval Europe, the parchment bowl can hold potpourri or a votive candle, but with its enchanting design and jewel-like colors in teal, turquoise, purple and indigo, it's also vibrantly attractive on its own.

Unlike real potatoes, which are quite hardy, these bowls are extremely delicate and must be handled gently. Each is one of a kind, and irregular edges can be trimmed to a desired length. Colors may vary slightly, as seen above. Protect from sunlight and humidity." http://www.uncommongoods.com/ also has a available a bowl made from dried Mexican papaya. They make excellent gifts for you or someone else.

Veggie Bowls Pictured Approximately 7" to 8" w x 4" to 5"h $34 each. Larger bowls (approximately 14"w x 12"h) are also available

(Available at Lois Lambert Gallery of Functional Art. www.galleryoffunctionalart.com/dorfman.shtml)

Margaret Dorfman uses over 35 different types of fresh fruits and vegetables. Due to the nature of fruits and vegetables and the work it takes to make the bowls, each is a unique, beautiful, colorful piece of art.

"Watermelon"
(Available at Lois Lambert Gallery of Functional Art. www.galleryoffunctionalart.com/dorfman.shtml)

According to Uncommon Goods, "Margaret earned degrees in Linguistics and Anthropology from U.C. Davis, then went on to gain fluency in American Sign Language and worked for many years as a sign language interpreter. She now makes her bowls full-time at her studio in Oakland, CA, where she lives with her husband and son. "

"Starfruit"
(Available at Lois Lambert Gallery of Functional Art. www.galleryoffunctionalart.com/dorfman.shtml)

"The local farmers' markets and ethnic enclaves of Oakland provide Margaret with a great range of exotic and unusual fruits and vegetables for her work: Chinatown provides lotus roots and bitter melon, while only a couple of miles away the mercados of East Oakland carry rare varieties of chili peppers and sapote fruit. Like their fresh counterparts, the bowls vary with the seasons: purple Savoy in the spring, watermelon and cantaloupe in the summer, pumpkin and persimmon in the autumn, pear and citrus in the winter. 'I'm always trying something new,' says Margaret. 'These days I'm experimenting with raddicchio and apricot.'"

"Beets"
(Available at Lois Lambert Gallery of Functional Art. www.galleryoffunctionalart.com/dorfman.shtml)

"'What delights me about creating these vegetable parchment bowls,' says Margaret, 'is the process of turning what is seen as ordinary and commonplace into something of beauty. The bowls allow me to re-see what I take for granted; the luminous beauty of fruits and vegetables, their jewel-like colors, and most of all their ability to surprise and enchant. As I work with the fruits and vegetables, I feel like I am not creating something new, but instead uncovering what was always there to see.'"

"White Radish"
(Available at Lois Lambert Gallery of Functional Art. www.galleryoffunctionalart.com/dorfman.shtml)

All information and images are from http://www.uncommongoods.com/ where you can purchase the cuffs and the purple potato and Mexican papaya bowls and Lois Lambert Gallery of Functional Art at http://www.galleryoffunctionalart.com/ where you can find all of her bowls in a variety of sizes.