My Introduction to Woodturning
In the late 70's, I attended a juried craft show at Fort Mason in San Francisco, and came across the booth of David Ellsworth, who described himself as a woodturner. While I knew nothing of woodturning other than as a user of turned salad bowls, I somehow knew what he was doing was special. My question to him was "how do you do that?"He responded by giving me a copy of a Fine Woodworking article that described his technique. I bought my first woodturning from him, which is pictured at the left. He went on to become a major influence on the art form, and is one of the best known woodturners in America today. That chance encounter began what has become a lifelong interest in turned objects.
A busy life over the next 25 years didn't allow any time to actually do any woodturning, but I certainly was a "wannabe", and always on the lookout, when on holiday, for a gallery that handled turned objects. Occasionally I would buy something to add to my small but growing collection. When the American Association of Woodturners was formed, I joined to stay abreast of what was going on in the craft. Finally, when I retired in 2005, I bought a lathe, spent a week with Dale Nish in an introductory class, and have not looked back. It has been a great trip, and I look forward to it continuing for a long time.
