My time as a wood turner began in 1987 when I received a lathe for a Christmas gift.
The following December while at a craft show in St. Paul’s, ON, the then president of Art in the Park saw my work and convinced me to join the association.
I’ve been forever grateful for her encouragement and for the many doors that have been opened since joining the group.
I also gained a great deal of inspiration and newfound respect for the many woodworkers in this area, who appreciated, as I do, the incredible amount of resources in the local trees and the variety of species around us in Perth County, and surrounding area.
I’ve turned well over forty local woods, and there are many that I haven’t yet explored. Each species has it’s own unique characteristics, and the adventure found in this exploration is a great part of the reward.
When I cut into a rough block of wood and see a particular pattern or feature, I am the first person to have ever seen that inner landscape; and if I cut further into the piece, I will have been the only person EVER to have seen what I had just cut through.
That sense of adventure and exploration, coupled with the appreciation shown by the many people who have enjoyed my bowls all over the world, is what continues to encourage me to keep searching the logs.
In this increasingly complex and challenging world, the simple nature of turning a bowl or plate, or serving tray; and the joy it brings to the owner of that piece, is to me more gratifying than I could ever have imagined.
Welcome to my adventure.
David Humphrey
