As a native Arizonan coming from a long line of craftsmen, I started turning solid pieces with my dad on an old lathe in his home workshop. After moving out of state for over half our adult lives, my wife Jamie and I returned home, and I have since spent several years experimenting with segmented woodturning, learning techniques not to repeat what I've seen, but to be able to apply those skills in new and different ways. While I rely on tried-and-true methods of assembling and turning wood, on the other hand I strive to push the limits of my segmented visualization and design.
As much as I enjoy working with spalted or burled woods where mother nature has created her own beautiful and unique patterns and I simply try to shape the pieces to best reveal them, I especially enjoy mixing multiple wood species together, chosen by color or grain variations, to create my own patterns and designs. My pieces are comprised of non-endangered wood species and often include recovered wood from trees felled by storm or disease. I love being able to salvage and repurpose hardwoods from old furniture that is no longer useful, and destined for the landfill.
After years of just creating pieces for friends and family, my sister Mary, who is a metalsmith and custom jewelry designer outside Atlanta, convinced me to time my business trips back east to coincide with the artisan pop-ups and craft shows that she participates in, and try my hand at exhibiting and potentially selling some of my pieces. It was a great excuse for getting to see her more often, and when I realized I could at least partially support my woodworking habit/hobby, I gave up golf (which never came close to paying for itself) and started to get more serious about building up my inventory. Over a dozen shows later, and after sharing space with her in a Georgia gallery, I decided it was time to look into doing something here in Arizona.
As luck would have it, while in search of cabachons for my sister at the recent Payson Gem & Mineral Show, I accidentally met one of the vendors there who happens to be one of the artists here at The Gallery. During our conversation, she suggested I look into this gallery, and I'm glad I took Sandy's advise. I feel honored to be selected to have some of my pieces share this same space with all the tremendously creative and talented artists here at The Gallery in Williams.
As much as I enjoy working with spalted or burled woods where mother nature has created her own beautiful and unique patterns and I simply try to shape the pieces to best reveal them, I especially enjoy mixing multiple wood species together, chosen by color or grain variations, to create my own patterns and designs. My pieces are comprised of non-endangered wood species and often include recovered wood from trees felled by storm or disease. I love being able to salvage and repurpose hardwoods from old furniture that is no longer useful, and destined for the landfill.
After years of just creating pieces for friends and family, my sister Mary, who is a metalsmith and custom jewelry designer outside Atlanta, convinced me to time my business trips back east to coincide with the artisan pop-ups and craft shows that she participates in, and try my hand at exhibiting and potentially selling some of my pieces. It was a great excuse for getting to see her more often, and when I realized I could at least partially support my woodworking habit/hobby, I gave up golf (which never came close to paying for itself) and started to get more serious about building up my inventory. Over a dozen shows later, and after sharing space with her in a Georgia gallery, I decided it was time to look into doing something here in Arizona.
As luck would have it, while in search of cabachons for my sister at the recent Payson Gem & Mineral Show, I accidentally met one of the vendors there who happens to be one of the artists here at The Gallery. During our conversation, she suggested I look into this gallery, and I'm glad I took Sandy's advise. I feel honored to be selected to have some of my pieces share this same space with all the tremendously creative and talented artists here at The Gallery in Williams.