Woodworking has been a lifelong passion. Hint: Eisenhower was in his first term when I started down this pathway of wood. I've nurtured it in the background behind a varied career that had frequent moves around the world. My shop and equipment have been packed, shifted, squeezed, expanded and transported across great distances several times. In 2001 it and I settled into a permanent studio shop in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains outside of Nevada City California.
Woodturning as an art begins with the material that nature has provided -- wood that was once a living thing. It has moisture, defects, it moves, and has faults. Different species respond differently to the cutting tools, move over time in different ways, have textures and finishes that are unique. I seek out interesting woods, and the process starts with finding and preparing wood for turning. Unlike many other art forms, I don't have the opportunity to "add", only to remove. My process is one of removing wood until we can reveal the beauty and sculpt our desired artwork.
I have had the good fortune to study at length with the true legends of woodturning: Richard Raffan, Dale Nish, David Ellsworth, Nick Agar, Pat Johnson, Soren Berger, Guilio Marcolongo, Jean Francois Escoulen at his studio in France. I have been a participant in workshops with Mike Mahoney, Mike Jackofsky, Graeme Priddle, and Kirk DeHeer. From each of these greats I've taken something, and bring their contributions into my work.
Any completed wood turning is always unique. It is the result of the convergence of my imagination and vision, with the resource that nature provided, and the limits of my skill to develop both of those elements.
I work mostly with local woods. At my elevation in the Sierra foothills the hardwoods reach the upper elevation of their survival and the pines begin their dominance. Indigenous hardwoods include California black oak, blue oak, live oak, black locust, crabapple, bay laurel, madrone, California Claro walnut and manzanita. Softwoods at this elevation include ponderosa pine, western red cedar and grey pine. Here in the heart of the California hard rock gold mining area, early settlers brought treasured seeds and seedlings across the country and planted a variety of species, some of which now are well over 100 years old. Eastern Maple, cherry, Eastern black walnut, osage orange, sycamore, plane, fruit trees, olive and others. As these reach their lifespan and have to come down, salvaging suitable woods providing a further resource of great variety.
My turnings generally fall into one of two categories.
Utility pieces are intended for normal use for serving foods, are entirely food safe and durable. With reasonable care these bowls and utensils can be used for generations. These are salad bowls, serving bowls, platters, kitchen tools, bottle stoppers, peppermills, etc.
Artistic works, are more intricate and intended to be the best expression of form and exposure of the beauty of the wood. They are designed to be touched and handled with care, but are mostly intended for their visual appeal.
Bowls and turnings are designed to be both seen and touched. The feel is an important element of design. Your fingers can detect what your eye cannot. Touch them; feel them; use them virtually forever with reasonable care. Each was once a living entity on this earth that developed its own nature from its growth within its own unique environment. It once lived, and now by being transformed, takes on a new life. All turnings represent recycling and re-purposing at the highest and best level.
Woodturning as an art begins with the material that nature has provided -- wood that was once a living thing. It has moisture, defects, it moves, and has faults. Different species respond differently to the cutting tools, move over time in different ways, have textures and finishes that are unique. I seek out interesting woods, and the process starts with finding and preparing wood for turning. Unlike many other art forms, I don't have the opportunity to "add", only to remove. My process is one of removing wood until we can reveal the beauty and sculpt our desired artwork.
I have had the good fortune to study at length with the true legends of woodturning: Richard Raffan, Dale Nish, David Ellsworth, Nick Agar, Pat Johnson, Soren Berger, Guilio Marcolongo, Jean Francois Escoulen at his studio in France. I have been a participant in workshops with Mike Mahoney, Mike Jackofsky, Graeme Priddle, and Kirk DeHeer. From each of these greats I've taken something, and bring their contributions into my work.
Any completed wood turning is always unique. It is the result of the convergence of my imagination and vision, with the resource that nature provided, and the limits of my skill to develop both of those elements.
I work mostly with local woods. At my elevation in the Sierra foothills the hardwoods reach the upper elevation of their survival and the pines begin their dominance. Indigenous hardwoods include California black oak, blue oak, live oak, black locust, crabapple, bay laurel, madrone, California Claro walnut and manzanita. Softwoods at this elevation include ponderosa pine, western red cedar and grey pine. Here in the heart of the California hard rock gold mining area, early settlers brought treasured seeds and seedlings across the country and planted a variety of species, some of which now are well over 100 years old. Eastern Maple, cherry, Eastern black walnut, osage orange, sycamore, plane, fruit trees, olive and others. As these reach their lifespan and have to come down, salvaging suitable woods providing a further resource of great variety.
My turnings generally fall into one of two categories.
Utility pieces are intended for normal use for serving foods, are entirely food safe and durable. With reasonable care these bowls and utensils can be used for generations. These are salad bowls, serving bowls, platters, kitchen tools, bottle stoppers, peppermills, etc.
Artistic works, are more intricate and intended to be the best expression of form and exposure of the beauty of the wood. They are designed to be touched and handled with care, but are mostly intended for their visual appeal.
Bowls and turnings are designed to be both seen and touched. The feel is an important element of design. Your fingers can detect what your eye cannot. Touch them; feel them; use them virtually forever with reasonable care. Each was once a living entity on this earth that developed its own nature from its growth within its own unique environment. It once lived, and now by being transformed, takes on a new life. All turnings represent recycling and re-purposing at the highest and best level.