My most recent body of work consists of hollow form vessels. They are turned from native hardwoods that have been saved from landfills or firewood piles. Part of the thrill of working with this medium is discovering the beauty that has been hidden for centuries deep inside a tree. The true character of wood, like people, lies deep within the soul.
I believe in form over function. My vessels stand up proud, as if they have just inhaled new life. They typically have small feet, somehow defying gravity with perfect balance – like a ballet dancer en pointe. Strong and bold, yet dainty and fragile; each piece marries complete opposites into an exercise of controlled passion.
Color is an important aspect of my work. Used as an enhancement, it brings to the fore the stored energy and character of each unique wood grain. I hand rub each vessel in layers, providing incredible depth while the color remains transparent.
My inspiration comes from the universe in which we live. From the finite details often overlooked in nature, to the infinite abstracts of deep space. My vessels strike us all differently, hopefully in some meaningful manner.
Education:
BFA Millikin University
Galleries:
Vale Craft Gallery - Chicago IL
Heartland Gallery – Urbana IL
Main Gallery 404 – Bloomington IL
Fourth Street Gallery - Covington IN
Exhibitions:
“Spirit of the Southwest” – Albuquerque, NM Santa Fe, NM & St. Paul, MN
American Association of Woodturners June 2009 – April 2010
Awards:
Sugar Creek Arts Festival - 1st Place Fine Craft 2009
Summer 2009 American Association of Woodturners -
1st Place Best Hollow Form
-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.
47 comments so far
Les Hastings
home | projects | blog
948 posts in 650 days
posted 644 days ago
Welcome to LJ’s vary glad you choose to join us, come on in take your shoe’s off and sit a while.
-- Les, Wichita, Ks. (I'd rather be covered in saw dust!)
rikkor
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11338 posts in 752 days
posted 644 days ago
Welcome to LJ. You will like it here.
gene
home | projects | blog
2165 posts in 761 days
posted 644 days ago
Welcome to the wonderful world of LJ’s (Enjoy) Come on in, The water’s fine, fine, fine.
You can ask, show, teach, learn, and Share woodworking experiences.
There’s something here for anyone that likes working with wood.
Plus new friends
God bless
-- Gene, a Christian in Virginia
bryano
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546 posts in 810 days
posted 644 days ago
Welcome to LumberJocks Les. Great table you posted. It looks like it weighs a ton.
-- bryano
Scott Bryan
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19998 posts in 699 days
posted 644 days ago
Welcome to LJs. I am sure that you will find this to be an enlightening and educational element of your woodworking journey.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
Karson
home | projects | blog
25265 posts in 1278 days
posted 644 days ago
Welcome to LumberJocks. Glad to have you aboard.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Max
home | projects | blog
13937 posts in 1150 days
posted 644 days ago
Glad to see that you have made Lumberjocks a part of your Woodworking experience… Welcome…
-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT
cajunpen
home | projects | blog
5970 posts in 943 days
posted 644 days ago
Welcome to LumberJocks. Enjoy the community
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/
ND2ELK
home | projects | blog
6064 posts in 651 days
posted 578 days ago
Welcome to Lumberjocks. The projects are an inspiration, the information is priceless and the people are supportive. The only problem is, the site can get addictive.
God Bless
tom
-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa
Paul D
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2125 posts in 626 days
posted 577 days ago
Welcome to LJs !! Glad you have joined us !!
-- Paul D, Atlanta GA
Boxmaker
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4 posts in 589 days
posted 576 days ago
Thanks for the post but all that came up when I hit “here” is a blank screen. Maybe that just says head to the drawing board and start from a “blank” sheet of paper.
Art
-- "Hands to work & Hearts to God"
jeanmarc
home | projects | blog
1750 posts in 593 days
posted 570 days ago
thank you D being to pass on my page. your work is very interesting J hopes to be able to propose D different project has soon
-- jeanmarc manosque france
mzmac
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76 posts in 544 days
posted 544 days ago
Is there any Lathe in the $500 range that you would recommend?
bradyvan
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22 posts in 526 days
posted 526 days ago
Thanks for the welcome!
-- -Brady, Austin, Texas, Y'all
treeleafidentification
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10 posts in 505 days
posted 504 days ago
Thanks for the welcome, much appreciated
slick1970
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57 posts in 495 days
posted 495 days ago
Thanks for the welcome and I see that you are in Bloomington, area and my sister and brother-n-law just moved from there. They had lived in Lexington,Ill. I came up there about a year ago in the winter and boy was it cold, I was very glad to get back to Ga. where the climate is nice and mild. Again Thank You and hopefully will be getting some projects on here soon.
-- David, Tignall,Georgia
suliman
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290 posts in 681 days
posted 493 days ago
Thank you for comment.
-- Suliman , Syria, jablah ,
John Dorans
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19 posts in 518 days
posted 489 days ago
Many thanks for the welcome to LJs.
-- John N Ireland
magicman
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47 posts in 486 days
posted 486 days ago
Thank you for the welcome. You do some beautiful turning work.
-- Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didin't do then by the ones you did. - Mark Twain
Gene
home | projects | blog
46 posts in 484 days
posted 481 days ago
Thanks for the welcome. You have some very nice turnings. I like your unique pieces like the crotch honey bowl and the spalted maple.
-- --Gene Plumley--
Gene
home | projects | blog
46 posts in 484 days
posted 477 days ago
Thank for the complement about the Muskoka chair. It is just what it’s called around here. There is a style difference from an adarondack chair but there pretty much the same.
-- --Gene Plumley--
Steve
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24 posts in 477 days
posted 477 days ago
Thanks for the welcome. I got a buddy I work with that lives just north of you in Normal. I never thought that could happen!
-- Steve - kingwood, Texas
Darren
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11 posts in 479 days
posted 476 days ago
Thanks for the welcome trifern. Those are some great turning projects that you’ve done. I’ve never tried turning anything yet, except for turning on my TV, but you may have inspired me.
-- -- Darren, Lumberton, TX
Alex
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16 posts in 465 days
posted 465 days ago
thanks for the welcome :)
-- - Alex. Ontario, Canada
a1Jim
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15492 posts in 454 days
posted 454 days ago
Thanks for the greeting . your lathe work is great
-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon
Maddhatter
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74 posts in 455 days
posted 454 days ago
Thanks for the warm Welcome; hopefully, I can live up to the site’s reputation?
-- Norm (AKA - The Maddhatter), Middletown DE
Chase
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6 posts in 429 days
posted 429 days ago
Thanks for the Welcome!
Schmidty
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15 posts in 407 days
posted 406 days ago
thanks for the welcome
-- Nathan, Wisconsin
mtnwild
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1979 posts in 404 days
posted 402 days ago
Thanks For the comment, Your work is outstanding, really super. Artistic beauty, treasures.
-- mtnwild (Jack), It's not what you see, it's how you see it.
Heyz
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22 posts in 393 days
posted 392 days ago
Thanks for welcome Trifern – been watching you make bowls for the last little while (reading but not registered), I’m so amazing by the colour and texture – especialy the blueish ones!
-- Heyz, in the cold winterland of Canada
TBoat
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10 posts in 389 days
posted 386 days ago
Thanks so much for the welcome!! Wow….those bowls are amazing!
emily
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11 posts in 381 days
posted 381 days ago
I’ll see if I can find either of those nearby. Thanks for the help, and for the welcome!
-- Emily, Utah, http://michiedo.blogspot.com
Devin St. Clair
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10 posts in 373 days
posted 372 days ago
Well thanks for the welcome!
God bless,
-- Devin
drknoxy
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31 posts in 360 days
posted 353 days ago
Thanks for the warm welcome, this is such a friendly community
-- Knoxy for short
PebbleCreek
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60 posts in 361 days
posted 350 days ago
Ty for the welcome. I’m having alot of fun seeing what other LJ’s are upto.
Rogue
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87 posts in 347 days
posted 347 days ago
My wife like your bowls even more than I did. Great wood selection!
-- Rogue
hoffer
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11 posts in 343 days
posted 341 days ago
Thanks for the warm welcome!
Greg
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128 posts in 335 days
posted 334 days ago
Thanx for the welcome
-- Greg S.E. Ga. www.joesawdust.com
Stairman
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3 posts in 322 days
posted 322 days ago
very nice work….. I really need to work on my lathe more… thanks for the welcome and keep up the good work
-- Jim, Northern California, www.stairdesignonline.com
jSchrock
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48 posts in 313 days
posted 312 days ago
Thanks for the welcome. That’s some expensive looking projects you’ve got there.
Don
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13 posts in 294 days
posted 294 days ago
Thank you for your welcoming. -Don
-- -The trick to getting ahead is getting started!
Junji
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491 posts in 259 days
posted 258 days ago
Thank you for welcoming me to this place.
-- Junji Sugita from Japan, http://tetra.blog12.fc2.com/
Jin
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10 posts in 257 days
posted 256 days ago
Thanks for the the welcome!
Boy, woodworkers really are friendly!
Miket
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265 posts in 649 days
posted 174 days ago
Ah! He does have a face! Love your work.
-- It's better to have people think you're stupid rather than open your mouth and remove all doubt.
kerflesss
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131 posts in 245 days
posted 154 days ago
Thanks for the welcome!! Your turnings are magnificent. Wish I had some of your patients and creativeness. Keep making chips fly.
goldenhands
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97 posts in 417 days
posted 128 days ago
Hay, have been watching your work for some time.
Would like to say that the progress and development that I saw through your posts are upsolutely great.
I htink you have found your place in woodturning, the form and use of material is defenatelly unique.
Really happy to se such progress in your work, well done man.
-- The way I work - the way I live. goldenhands
Profenceworks
home | projects | blog
41 posts in 1 day
posted 14 hours ago
That latest project you put up is really cool!
-- Brent Builds Fences in Georgia, http://www.ProFenceworks.com