Finishing Cherry

Couple of reasons possible.

First, you've compressed the grain, making it less likely to pick up the finish. Common enough if you're "riding" that bevel where things are soft. Answer is to sand below, which stinks, or to run some of that lacquer thinner into the area to try and soak the grain.

Second, the cherry has reversed the grain on its own. Also fairly common, no real solution available, it's just a "beauty mark."

Semigloss? I'd as soon apply an oil stain....

You may need to remount the bowl and perform some light shear cuts along that area - Because there is a grain change in that area, you are more apt to bruise and tear the grain - especially at points of transition - whether it be a curve that you make or the switch from side to end grain - these are trouble spots. In cherry, there is a tendency to have tearout or fuzz left behind.

The best way I have found to combat this is to use the bowl gouge as a sheer cutting tool. Hold the gouge with the flute toward the surface of the cut and move the tool handle down, which elevates the nose of the gouge - start from a point where a blending shear cut can be made and take a very light cut while traversing the entire area where the tearout occurred. This should produce very fine shavings and a smooth final surface.

After the shear cut is complete, sand with a rotary sanding device - drill, etc. and start at 120 or 180 grit - if you start at a lower grit, you will undo the effects of the sheer cut.

Have Fun!

Ray