I’ve been working with wood across many different forms for 35 years. When I started exploring woodturning, I discovered a form that allowed me to introduce a much greater degree of creativity and flexibility into my work that I hadn’t found in furniture making, toy creation, and construction.

I first turn wood on a lathe and carve it into shape with chisels. I turn the wood to 1/8 of an inch thick. Voids are created by hand using a high-speed carver. Black texture is added through stippling using a wire-tipped wood burner. In specific cases, I’ll add paint or metal leaf for additional color and character. Depending on the size and complexity, the time to complete a piece varies between 15 – 80 hours.

My previous career of 25 years as a financial controller consisted of sitting at a desk all day, applying defined rules, and negotiating future actions. Woodworking, in particular woodturning, has become a necessary activity for me to find balance. It’s an outlet for individuality, creativity, and the production of a tangible item that I didn’t find in my previous profession.