HERALD AND NEWS: From burl to bowl (07/14/2016)

Elbert Henderson said it is not uncommon for him to drive down the road and wonder what the trees might look like if he got his hands on them.

“I look at a tree and I think, ‘I wonder what that would look like if I sliced if off?’” said Henderson, a Klamath Falls (Oregon) resident who spends his time in his basement workshop turning pieces of wood into shiny, smooth bowls and decorative pieces of art.

Henderson, 78, took up wood turning when he was in the fifth grade. After retiring from doing mill work, he returned to the craft in 2000, and has been perfecting his art ever since.

Henderson uses a wood lathe machine to create his artwork, which begins as a block of wood and is chiseled down into a thin, smooth bowl, plate or decorative piece. It is then lacquered to give it shine.

A number of woods are used in Henderson’s artwork. He uses the woods from maple, madrone, juniper, mahogany, walnut and tropical hardwood trees, just to name a few. One bowl he made from an apricot tree.

Many of the pieces are made from tree burls, which are deformities that grow on a tree that are oftentimes caused by insect and mold infestations.

Despite their unappealing causes, tree burls are sought-after, Henderson said. Pieces made from burls contain colors and patterns that give the wood depth and character.

While many pieces take Henderson 40 to 50 hours to make, he estimates that one bowl, which contains 2,000 colorful pieces of wood, took him 100 hours to complete.

“I like the grain,” he said, pointing to a piece made from a maple tree burl. “I just like wood.”

Henderson’s wood work is on display at the Link River Gift Shop at the Favell Museum, 125 W. Main St., through July.

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HAYS POST: Ellis artists featured at Hansen Museum through August (07/13/2016)

Ken Eberle and Leo Groff, Jr. are nature enhancers. These gentlemen from Ellis are both skilled artists. Ken is skilled in the art of wood turning and Leo in the art of carving hard shelled gourds.  These fine gentlemen are the artists behind “Wood Turning & Gourds” the feature exhibit at the Dane G. Hansen Memorial Museum through Aug. 28.

In the woodcarving circle, Ken is known as a wood turner, someone who works on a lathe. At first, Ken copied the work of other turners. Then he was told by two of the best known turners in the country, that he had proven he was a good turner and he needed to create pieces that had not been done before. After many tries, Ken came up with a unique design. His wood pieces have been featured in Wood Turning Design magazine.  Ken now only produces one-of-a-kind items. After being featured in many magazine and newspaper articles, Ken’s work is now being copied by others. His work is all natural wood with no artificial color added.

Prior to 1985, Leo Groff Jr. wasn’t even aware there was such a thing as hard shelled gourds or that he possessed any artistic talent whatsoever. After growing a crop of gourds and doing some research, Leo discovered the American Gourd Society. Over time, Leo slowly learned to decorate gourds using various techniques. After a few years, Leo began attending gourd shows sponsored by the many State Chapters of the American Gourd Society, where he learned valuable lessons from established artists. After retirement in 2004, Leo pursued his gourd art fulltime and developed a favorite style. Most of his designs and techniques are influenced by the art of the Navajo and Hopi tribes of the Southwestern United States.

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Call for Entries: Woodturned Art

The Paramount Center for the Arts, Mid MN Association of Woodturners, and the American Association of Woodturners are proud to present Turning Trees, a statewide juried exhibition. The exhibition runs from November 18 – January 15 at the Paramount Gallery Saint Germain and theatre lobby, 913 West St. Germain Street, St. Cloud, MN 56301. The show will move to the American Association of Woodturners’ Gallery of Wood Art in the Landmark Center, 75 W 5th St., St. Paul, MN 55102 in January through February 2017.

Deadline for Submissions: August 1, 2016

 

Cost:

• Member fee: $30 for up to three entries.
• Non-Member fee: $40 for up to three entries.

Requirements:

• Call for entries is open to Minnesota residents only.
• Each artist may submit up to three entries.
• All work must have been produced in the past two years. Any medium is acceptable as long as it has been turned on the lathe.A strong preference will be given to native Minnesota woods.

• A limited number of oversize pieces (shipping at more than 108” in combined length and girth) will be accepted.

If accepted:

• Shipping to the Paramount Center for the Arts is responsibility of the artist.
• Submissions will be insured for wholesale value.
• 40% commission will be charged on all sales and retained by the location where the sale took place.

 
For more information:

• Contact Melissa Gohman at 320-257-3112 or mgohman@paramountarts.org.

AAW chapter scholarship winners attended a workshop led by instructor Nick Agar at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts June 19-25, 2016.

 

Pictured left to right are: Scott Haddix, Gulf Coast Woodturners, Nick Agar, and Dan Baker, Cascade Woodturners.

The AAW awarded twenty-eight scholarships for members to attend Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and the John C. Campbell Folk School in 2016. Scholarship award winners were selected through a random drawing of all eligible nominees. To be eligible to apply for a scholarship, candidates must be AAW members and must have been nominated by a process approved by their AAW chapter. A total of 69 chapters participated, resulting in the nomination of 103 AAW members. Read announcement.

Honduras Project – May 2016

AAW’s Turners Without Borders committee partnered with a nonprofit known as GreenWood to help wood artisans in Honduras learn to turn hardwood mallets. This collaboration set up an ongoing partnership with GreenWood and may serve as a model for future projects. A generous donation from Dale Larson helped make the project possible. Scott Lewis (see Dominican Republic Project, below) brought one of his pedal-powered lathes to Honduras to lead the teaching. He was joined by Manuel Suarez, an AAW volunteer from Rockville, Md., who has traveled to Honduras several times on behalf of a healthcare nonprofit. Working with local GreenWood staff, Lewis and Suarez assembled the lathe and trucked it to the village of Las Champas. There, they spent five days teaching and testing a half-dozen local woods. They then spent two days teaching in El Carbon, a community of Pech Indians who make Appalachian-style furniture. Scott Landis, the head of GreenWood, says, “The students were attentive and involved, and we identified some real talent.” For his part, Suarez says, “The experience has been very positive. The students were anxious to learn, thankful for our efforts to help them, and delighted with Scotty’s lathe.” TWB is discussing ways to help GreenWood further as it moves to full-scale mallet production.

 

The students in Las Champas, with Scott Lewis’s lathe and some of the bowls and mallets they produced.

Call for Entries: Turning Trees

The Paramount Center for the Arts, Mid MN Association of Woodturners, and the American Association of Woodturners are proud to present Turning Trees, a statewide juried exhibition. The exhibition runs from November 18 – January 15th at the Paramount Gallery Saint Germain and theatre lobby. The show will move to the American Association of Woodturners Gallery at the Landmark Center in St. Paul January and February 2017. Member fee: $30 for up to three entries. Non-Member fee: $40 for up to three entries. Each artist may submit up to 3 entries. A limited number of oversize pieces (shipping at more than 108” in combined length and girth) will be accepted. Shipping to the Paramount is responsibility of the artist. Insured for wholesale value 40% commission on sales retained by location (sales handled by location). Requirements: Open to Minnesota residents only. Work must have been produced in the past two years. Any medium but must have been turned on the lathe – Strong preference given to wood native to MN. Deadline: August 1, 2016. For more information call 320.257.3112 or contact Melissa Gohman at mgohman@paramountarts.org

Click here to submit/enter.

THE COURIER: City pensioner creates unique gift for royal visit (07/06/2016)

William Beckers, 70, was asked to create a wooden quaich for the special occasion after impressing the city chief with his woodturning skills at an event earlier this year.

The retired engineer first started doing woodwork seven years ago, and now shows other pensioners at the Carse of Gowrie and district men’s shed how to carve sculptures and other items.

Dundee lord provost Bob Duncan asked him and some of his fellow wood turners to create a selection of original gifts for the royal visit.

William explained: “The lord provost had been particularly impressed by the wood turning when he and the lord provost of Perth came to an open day at the shed. He tried a bit himself, but he was too well dressed to really get into it.

“Tentatively he said if required, could we make some bits and pieces for the council and the royal visit.

“We said we’d be delighted to do some stuff. We presented things to them and they could decide if it was of a standard they wanted.”

It is understood the quaich was delivered to the Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, by the lord provost during their lunch at the City Chambers.

View source and photos.

ST MARYS-MT DRUITT STAR: Western Sydney Woodturners Incorporation funds new equipment at Mount Druitt Hospital children’s ward (06/29/2016)

MOUNT Druitt Hospital will be the beneficiary of new equipment for its children’s ward thanks to the hard work of local craftsmen and women.

Members from Western Sydney Woodturners Incorporation raised funds to purchase a new vital signs monitor and examination table for the ward – valued at more than $10,000.

Funds were raised by selling hand-made items including wooden bowls, toilet roll and hand towel holders at various schools, fetes and historical house gatherings.

Mount Druitt Hospital children’s ward nursing unit manager Mildred Vilason said she was delighted to receive the equipment.

“We are grateful for the Woodturners’ continuous generosity and support,” she said.

Ms Vilason said the examination table will help to alleviate strain on staff’s backs as it can be adjusted to accommodate different heights.

Western Sydney Woodturners Incorporation president Bob Young said the group has been associated with the hospital for the past seven years.

The group also donated a patient lifter to the children’s ward in 2014.

“As a hobby, the men and women enjoy making and creating everyday items, which we then sell at functions and wood turning demonstrations,” Mr Young said.

“All the proceeds are then given to the children’s ward at Mount Druitt Hospital.”
 
View Source/photos.

THE HAYS DAILY NEWS: Ellis artists’ work on display at Hansen Museum (06/28/2016)

Ken Eberle and Leo Groff Jr. are nature enhancers. The gentlemen from Ellis are skilled artists. Ken is skilled in the art of wood turning and Leo in the art of carving hard shelled gourds. These fine gentlemen are the artists behind “Wood Turning & Gourds,” the feature exhibit at the Dane G. Hansen Memorial Museum on Friday through Aug. 28.

In the woodcarving circle, Eberle is known as a wood turner, someone who works on a lathe. At first, Eberle copied the work of other turners. Then he was told by two of the best known turners in the country, that he had proven he was a good turner and needed to create pieces that had not been done before.

After many tries, Eberle came up with a unique design. His wood pieces have been featured in “Wood Turning Design” magazine. Eberle now only produces one-of-a-kind items. After being published in many magazine and newspaper articles, Eberle’s work is now being copied by others. His work is all-natural wood with no artificial color added.

Prior to 1985, Groff Jr. wasn’t even aware there was such a thing as hard shelled gourds or that he possessed any artistic talent whatsoever. After growing a crop of gourds and doing some research, he discovered the American Gourd Society. Over time, Groff slowly learned to decorate gourds using various techniques. After a few years, Groff began attending gourd shows sponsored by the many State Chapters of the American Gourd Society, where he learned valuable lessons from established artists. After retirement in 2004, he pursued his gourd art full-time and developed a favorite style. Most of his designs and techniques are influenced by the art of the Navajo and Hopi tribes of the Southwestern United States.

Eberle and Groff are masters in the art media they have chosen.

Museum hours are 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays and holidays.

View sources/photos.

UTAH PUBLIC RADIO: Lehi Teacher Channels Artistic Passion In Woodturning At Summerfest Arts Faire (06/17/2016)

Artists come from all over the United States to share their work with festivalgoers in the City of Logan’s annual Summerfest Arts Faire. UPR’s Katie Peikes shares the story of one Summerfest vendor who is a high school teacher with a passion for wood art.

Rex Burningham is a woodturner from Highland, Utah and one of over 130 artists sharing their creations in Logan’s annual Summerfest Arts Faire. When he’s not teaching woodworking at Lehi High School, he is in his basement woodturning, or shaping wood using a machine tool called a lathe.

“Its always fun to have a hobby that you can make money from,” Burningham said. “That’s kind of how it started out.”

His enthusiasm for his craft dates back to college when one of his professors introduced him to the art. He then started doing summertime arts shows. It was a “hobby went wild.”

Burningham works with tree trimmers and arborists to obtain trees and branches for his craft, and in exchange, gives them a bowl made of wood or another product. He turns a basic tree on a lathe, essentially a vertical potter’s wheel that spins the wood. Then, he takes a sharp tool and cuts it as clean as he can. He sands the surface of the product and occasionally adds a glossy touch to it.

“You’ve got two types of styles,” Burningham said. “One is utilitarian: You’ve got cutting boards, you’ve got traditional salad bowls. Also, I make some cheese slicers, ice cream scoops for handles, rolling pins. Those are the utilitarian things. Then you’ve got kind of what they call ‘wood art’: That’s where you’re gonna have wall hangings or a really fancy bowl, but they’re just mainly to look at, to enjoy.”

Signifying Summerfest, white canvas tents are spread throughout the grounds near the Logan Tabernacle and many artists sell products from paintings to glass figures to handmade hair forks as part of Summerfest. Artists spend months perfecting their craft so they can apply and be a part of the fair. Some artists return year after year, said Elaine Thatcher, the executive director of Summerfest.

“Honestly, they just work like crazy to get ready for these shows and they have to spend three days outdoors hauling stuff around,” Thatcher said. “It’s not an easy life, I don’t think.”

Artists spend months perfecting their craft so they can apply and be a part of the fair.

Summerfest, Thatcher said, has become a staple of Logan — basically the kickoff to summer.

“We’ve called this the kickoff to summer because it is sort of like the first major arts event in Cache Valley of the summer,” Thatcher said. “People are ready to get out and enjoy themselves, listen to some good music, just have some fun and some good food. It’s a great way to celebrate the beginning of summer.”

View source and photos.