Our life experiences provide inspiration every day if we look; places we travel and visit or hike near your home. My personal favorite place for inspiration is nature. The way the sun travels through the branches to reach the forest floor inspires my stained glass projects, the curving undulation of branches gives me ideas for new bowl profiles. Spending time with nature fuels my passion and creativity.
I am fortunate to have my studio nestled on a quiet dead end street in a quaint little town in beautiful Maine. Here, I find no shortage of fresh air, towering trees and wildlife. As I enter the studio, I am greeted with abundant sunshine pouring into the windows, and the pleasing aroma of cherry or walnut wood having been milled recently. Choosing materials is a simple task, because even the strangest looking log has untapped beauty hiding inside! The highly coveted burl wood is the result of a unique stressor on the tree. Though it looks like a wart, under the bark is the most incredible appearance!
Some of my favorite woods to turn are:
- Maple Ambrosia, with its very unique coloring streaks given to the wood by the ambrosia beetle. An example of symbiosis in nature where one deciding factor can change the woods appearance dramatically.
- Spalted woods come from trees that were attacked by a fungus during their growing period. The result is striking veining throughout!
- Ash, with its light brown and creamy white variations and strong grain, it looks stunning with a clear finish.
- Cherry, with its color variations of rich red to creamy white, has a satiny smooth texture to it that makes it a dream to turn on the lathe.
- Walnut with its chocolate brown heartwood and cream colored sapwood, it’s smooth texture and the earthy smell of the wood as it is turned, makes working with walnut a pleasure.
When I mount a piece of wood and begin turning, the wood truly decides what it will become. Letting the wood speak to me means that each piece is truly unique. Try as I might to replicate the profile and size, the material itself is inherently different than another of the exact same dimensions. Even two branches from the same tree will look different. Watching the unique characteristics of the grain and texture come to life is intensely satisfying. Each variation created by nature is unique to that piece beyond predictable grain patterns.
Stained glass is another way of capturing natural beauty through light! The color and texture of the glass, chosen for each unique, custom piece is an art form in itself. Some of my most favorite pieces are inspired by the outdoors, trees, water, and wildlife.
Nature is a wonderful and beautiful thing full of wondrous variety. I feel honored to be an integral part of bringing unique pieces to my customers that were made especially for them. My favorite creations are wood bowls and stained glass panels. I draw my biggest inspiration from the pleasure of creating a piece that will be enjoyed for a lifetime!
