Woodturning is for me, many things. Always challenging, whether it's the wood I choose to use, or the shape / style of whatever piece I will be making. Sometimes its the technical skills needed, will I be up to the task ? Often, its overcoming my current mindset and distractions to focus on the creative and artistic feelings that I need to embrace. I gotta have my Mojo working !!! When I don’t feel that, I’m just spinning my lathe and my wheels…For sure, it is always a learning experience, and that is the fun, I love to learn…
Its hard to know what my favorite piece is, I have made so many, and many have been sold, so I forget and just move to the next one. One piece in particular was purchased by a friend as a gift for the spiritual teacher, Ram Dass, who gave it a promonate place in his home on Maui. The feedback I got was he loved the footed Guava vase I made and the vibe it held within..I love that..!
Advice to potential new woodturners would be: Buy the biggest and best quality lathe you can afford, right off the bat. Use traditional tools, avoid learning with carbide scrapers, the beauty of the craft is brought out using gouges. Most important is to learn to make proper tenons, so you can stay safe when using chucks, and use safety shields on your face and head.
My main love is photography and has been since junior high school. Underwater photography is my passion, but I love tripping the shutter around all natural beautiful scenes.
I actually was inspired to start wood turning after checking out turned bowls at a south Kona art market that I was selling photos in. The pieces seemed crude to me, so I thought, why not give it a shot, I had a lathe a month later and the rest is history.