Medium: Woodturning, primarily with west coast hardwoods.
Education: Primarily self taught, with errors along the way. Woodturning books, instructional videos, and time spent with an experienced wood turner helped refine my technique. An education and career in engineering provided a sense of discipline and design.
Associations:
Member, International Wood Collector's Society
Member, American Association of Wood turners
Awards: Artisan Works Category
Edmonds Wa. Art Festival 2004 First Place
Edmonds Wa. Art Festival 2000 First Pace
Edmonds Wa. Art Festival 1999 Honorable Mention
Artist's Statement:
The wood turnings that I make are designed to emphasize the forms that nature put into the wood with the design unfolding as the work progresses. I prefer working with west coast hardwoods because that provides the opportunity to start the "unfolding" with the wood as it comes from a tree rather than having a lumber mill dictate the shape and initial cuts. The process starts with roughing out a crude bowl with thick walls which is then set aside to dry for about a year. After drying, the bowl is put back on the lathe for the final shaping and sanding. When the turning is complete, I apply a Danish oil finish, followed by an application of paste wax with buffing on the lathe. Sometimes when a particularly interesting piece of wood becomes available, I will use hand carving techniques to develop the shapes in a more flexible way than the turning lathe permits. In either case, the luster and feel of the final finish forms a major element of appeal of the wood.