I began woodturning in 2021 after I retired from my career as a tradesman. I had previously completed a woodworking project making a large storage chest. Since I had purchased some woodworking equipment that included a lathe I thought I might give wood turning a try. Although my first try at creating a bowl was a bit comical since I ended up with a very small piece, I was hooked. Woodturning allowed me to tap into my creative side that I knew I always had but never had an opportunity to explore. My early pieces included bowls, spindles and boxes however I progressed to create more elaborate pieces with pyrography, resin inlays and texturing to create a uniqueness to my art.
I like to use local wood because there are many diverse species available to work with in the Stratford area. My favorites are hickory, sugar maple, oak, cherry and ash. Each species has its own specific characteristics which allows me to create beautiful and unique art. I enjoy making pieces that follow holiday themes like Easter eggs and Christmas ornaments. I find that creating live edge pieces the most rewarding since they can be quite difficult to make. Although I usually only use resin to fill defects in the wood, I use resin, pyrography and texturing to enhance the look of the wood and create truly unique works of art.