My goal is to help people find and own a unique piece of art that they can proudly display or give to someone else. I want them to feel that they have acquired something that will be handed down from generation to generation. My bowls reflect my rural heritage and love of the trees of the area in which I grew up.
I am a self-taught wood turner. I received a lathe as a present when I retired in 2017. Although I have enjoyed working with wood for a number of years, my experience was limited to simple carpentry around the house, and making toys and gifts for my children and grandchildren. I started experimenting with the lathe and discovered that I enjoyed turning bowls, and had some inherent talent of which I was unaware. I sold a number of creations to both local residents and visitors to the area at art shows and farmers markets. Bowls that I made have been purchased by people throughout Minnesota and from coast to coast. My art has been viewed on Etsy and my website www.rockyshoreswoodworking.com by people worldwide. I am a member of the two art leagues and the American Association of Woodturners.
When I started turning bowls, I purchased blanks (blocks of wood used to turn into a bowl) from commercial outlets. While useful, their materials are expensive and not particularly attractive. However, during the past three years I established relationships with local loggers, and am able to locate very beautiful and exotic looking raw materials to use in making my more artistic items. One of the most spectacular pieces of wood to turn into a bowl is a burl (a goiter-like growth on a tree), and these are quite rare and very expensive.