Here in central Pennsylvania I can find an abundance of cherry, oak, maple and walnut. I like to turn unseasoned green wood because of the way the sharp tools feel as they peel off wet shavings.
Instead of rotting or being burned in the fireplace, these ordinary chunks of wood can be transformed into beautiful decorative and functional objects.
Rather than selecting blocks of wood with straight grain and even coloration, I prefer to use wood that has unusual features — the crotch between large branches, a large knot, a burl, wavy grain, bark inclusions, insect borings, spalting. These features make the wood more difficult to work on the lathe, and it may even develop cracks. However, I try to work these idiosyncrasies into the design of the piece, and make each turned object unique.
My goal is to bring out the intrinsic beauty of the different woods I work with. I continually stop the lathe while I am working to observe the pattern of the grain, and to see how the piece is developing. As a result, the form and design of each piece emerges as the wood turns on the lathe. Rather than turn intricate shapes from the wood, I usually turn a simple design that highlights the natural beauty of the wood.
