After a 35 year elementary and college
teaching career, I decided to try working with wood as a retirement
activity. I have always been impressed with the beauty of natural
wooden objects, and by the time I retired in 2002, I had decided on wood
turning as has approach. I have benefited and continue to learn daily
from local wood artists and from artists using other media as well as
from the turning process itself. I have received two weeks of formal
turning instruction at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in
Gatlinburg, Tennessee and also make use of instructional videos to
approach new techniques. In my opinion wood grain patterns, color and
texture are innately beautiful and I strive to create forms that cause
people to pause and observe that beauty. I particularly enjoy taking
wood headed for burn piles or landfills and changing it into something
that will be valued. My favorite woods to work with are camphor, red bud
and black cherry, which can all be found in North Florida. The whole
process has drawn me in, challenged my imagination, gotten under my
skin, and will not let go.
I craft my work expecting that it will be used for several generations.
I aim to require as little care possible. Dusting with a soft
cloth is basic. Washing with
gentle soap and a damp cloth is okay, but repolishing using beeswax and
a thorough buffing with a soft cloth will be required to restore the
surface polish. Do not place them in the dishwasher, microwave or
conventional oven.
