Tim, you did a nice job on that bowl. Honey Locust is a good looking wood. I'm going to have to get some next time I go east....You also did good at hiding the wire ends.
My thoughts on the wire would be to twist it using a drill. Telephone wire I believe is smaller than 22 gauge wire. To twist it, make a hook from a nail, get a length of wire, put both ends in a vise. The loop will be in the hook, stretch the wire as tight as you can, and start twisting it with the drill. Twist until you like the pattern. Remove it from the vise and hook. Roll it up until you have about a 3 inch coil of twisted wire. Tie it with another piece of wire, and then either put it in a BBQ, fireplace of even on the stove top. Heat it until it's red, then quench it.
It should turn black, and will be annealed where it's soft again. Untie it and straighten it by putting it back in the vise and on the hook. While in the drill, and vise, give it a couple yanks to straighten it. Take a piece of steel wool, fine sandpaper, scotchbrite, and stroke it some. That will remove some of the black and give you copper highlights. Do your weave and done.
If you do decide to hammer it, make sure you anneal it by heating and quenching. To remove all the black, I believe borax and water can be used to remove the oxidation. Memory is failing, so don't really remember if it works on copper. I have used it with gold and silver.
Keep up the good work. You never cease to bring beautiful pieces to our attention...... ........... Jerry (in Tucson)