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Completion of two professional designations in my chosen vocation resulted in leisure which I used to seek instruction and to practice the art of cutting stained glass (gold foil method). Prolific cutting of "Sun Catchers" demanded framing which led me crafting frames of wood. Courses in woodworking introduced me to woodturning on Shopsmith Convertible woodworking equipment. Turning my first bowl at a Shopsmith "Academy" intrigued me such that I became interested in turning wood more than in cutting stained glass.
During the past 10 years I have attended every available woodturning educational event feasible. Noteworthy have been seminars by Rudy Osolnik at Highland Hardware in Atlanta and the 1993 Utah Woodturning Symposium at Brigham Young University. I have been a member of the American Association of Woodturners since 1991.
Through the media of periodicals and video I have learned to apply woodturning techniques of many of the leading bowl turners in the world. Design influence has come from studying ancient Chinese pottery literature. Richard Raffan's Turned-Bowl Design and Dr. Dale Nish's books Creative Woodturning and Artistic Woodturning have been my guides for pleasing and aesthetic form. While form is cardinal, it is no more important that the tactile qualities of a well designed bowl.
My bowls are created to be handled and used! I have been influenced by Del Stubb's bowls, David Ellsworth's hollow form art, Vic Wood's burned edge bowls, Dr. Dale Nish's reverse turnings and Stuart Batty's square edged bowls. I have attended demonstrations by these artists, turned their art form specialties and modified them until they have become my own.
The majority of my turning is wooden bowls (open and closed faced with and without natural edge as well as hollow form art). I also turn bird houses, roller ball pens, baby rattles, scoops and an occasional spindle. My work is one-of-a-kind. Duplication is tedium.
I turn on a General Model 260 Lathe which is modern electrically driven equipment with 22 inch swing and 4 foot bed. I use 1/2 inch high speed steel gouges ground to fingernail and side ground bevels and turn on the inboard side of the lathe. Wood stock is generally glued to a waste piece, which is screwed to a faceplate and mounted on the lathe drive shaft. The gouge bevel is in contact with the wood at all times resulting in gouge control sufficient that sanding is minimized. Mechanized sanding is done with a right angle 3/8 inch drill motor fitted with 2 inch foam backed sanding disks. I begin sanding with 320 grit and proceed through 600 grit. My favorite finish is sprayed lacquer.
Magnolia Woodturners, Inc. was founded in my living room on June 17, 1996. Since, I have been occupied with that organization's attaining status with the American Association of Woodturners, 501©3 tax exempt status with the IRS, Corporation status in Mississippi, but primarily with organizing educational meetings and developing the organization for perpetuation. Magnolia Woodturners, Inc. meets bimonthly and has two amenable Mississippi regional organizations, which meet on the alternate months to the parent organization. Magnolia Woodturners, Inc. currently has 62 Mississippi and Louisiana dues paying members. It has hosted woodturning demonstrations for the past two Chimneyville Craft Shows and for the Tupelo Art Guild (elementary school children along with a brown bag luncheon for adults).
I derive satisfaction from sharing my enthusiasm for wood with others. Especially do I enjoy working with beginning woodturners. Sharing has led me to chair Mississippi Woodworkers and my work with Magnolia Woodturners, Inc.
As retirement approaches, I will become more prolific as a woodturner. |
