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The Bowl Maker
By way of introduction, I have been turning wood since about 1960 when a neighbor taught me the basics... a nut bowl, a rolling pin, and a ballbat. I was hooked immediately. For many years I only turned when I needed something; then in 1987 I met Knud Oland and his work at the Powers Crossroads Art Festival in Newnan, Georgia. I liked the natural look of his work and began immediately trying to learn how to turn "art" instead of just utilitarian items. I bought books, got books from the library, and then VCR tapes became available so I was able to learn from the masters via the videos. Videos by Del Stubbs and Richard Raffin were especially helpful to me. Later, I took a week-end class with Rude Olsonik at Highland Hardware in Atlanta. Books by Ray Key (of England) were very useful to me and I later had an opportunity to take a "hands on" class with him. Since then I have had opportunities to take classes with Frank Sudol, Trent Bosch, Nick Cook, Willard Baxter, Chris Stott, Lane Phillips, and other nationally known turners but I have learned just as much from friends and club members. In 2002 a neighbor (and fellow turner) and I started asking around if anyone wanted to start a turning club in our area and we found a few who were interested. We asked Willard Baxter to help us start a club and after advertising our intent we had 16 at our first organizing meeting. Our club, Apple Ridge Woodturners in Ellijay, Georgia, now has 65 members as we go into 2005. In my opinion, a turning club is the best place to learn once you have learned basic tool skills. |
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The style of work that I decided to do is simple forms with good, clean curves and unusual natural colors and grain patterns. I find that there is plenty of wood available that has the "art" already in it so my biggest challenge is to not mess that up. To get the colors I want I often allow the wood to "spalt". Spalting is actually the beginning of the decay process, and it gives many woods very interesting color patterns and fine, black lines. I use oil finishes for most of my work, but I reserve the option to use lacquer on very white woods. In my opinion, an oil finish not only gives a piece a warm glow, it also lasts for ages without peeling or clouding.
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My work is primarily sold from my showroom in the front of my shop where I work full time teaching, turning, and searching for the woods that I use. I give classes on bowlmaking (or bowlturning) both in my shop and on the road, doing demos for other clubs in the Southeast. I also sell some of the products that I use including the VB-36 lathe from Hegner. Classes can be scheduled most anytime for one or two students.
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