I have always enjoyed art and the beauty of simple things found in nature we see every day. All of nature is art if we look deep enough and express ordinary things in a different way than we are used to seeing it. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, I started making things from wood, and then experimented in painting and different mediums through school. During this time I had an avid interest in the evolution of humans through time and the functional items they created and used.

I began turning wood in my mid-twenties and shortly after had to give it up because life got too busy. When I sold my lathe I promised myself that one day I would buy a bigger lathe and return to the hobby I once loved. Now that I'm retired, that day has come. Now I spend many hours watching nature’s hidden beauty come out in the grain of various types of wood.

My creations reflect the designs of whatever culture and period I may be interested in at the moment, creating many different types of wooden vessels that used to be hand-made from other materials in order to hold liquids and staples. The bowls and vessels are portrayed as art that blends the shapes of old pottery with the beauty of finished wood.

After studying the woods natural color, makeup and grain pattern, I usually start with a basic design in mind. However, during the turning process I often alter the style of the piece in order to showcase a particular area of interest the wood reveals. I prefer not to do several bowls of the same design at once. Life should be simple, not production work. Whatever comes into my head is what I do –that’s what makes the work fun...

I hope you enjoy the exposed beauty of what is too often thrown away to decay as much as me. It’s great when a gallery wants to display my work and a bonus when folks want to purchase pieces for a special gift or personal enjoyment. Enjoy knowing that this gift to mankind was not ground into mulch!