I retired and moved to Navan in 1995 and, as a new retiree, I started looking for activities to fill my new-found time. My wife bought me a Taig Wood Lathe from Lee Valley and I progressed through a variety of pen and pencil kits. I joined the Valley Wood Turners who meet monthly at Louis Riel High School. This group offers training courses, guest speakers and a variety of competitions. I hit a high when I won the Novice First Prize for Hollow Forms at the Ottawa Wood Show!! I followed up with Firsts in the intermediate and Senior Hollow Forms in later Wood Shows. I was hooked!! I progressed in my toys (oops tools) with the addition of 3 more lathes.
I sold some of my work through a gallery for a couple of years, but more recently, I am expanding my skills on a variety of functional pieces - bowls, pepper mills, pens - and artistic pieces - hollow forms, vases, and wall hangings. I search for exotic woods from around the world and strive to show them off in a spectacular way for my pleasure and occasionally as gifts for others.
MANZANITA ROOT BURL from the California/Nevada border area. Photos will be posted as Ross progresses in wood turning this 8" x 10" gem into a Spectacular Hollow Form
These 2 pieces are not finished yet. The gnarly one is maple .. the other is cedar. I try to hollow burls to show about 1/3 natural surface, 1/3 finished surface and 1/3 holes showing the character of the wood inside and out. Several more pieces of the same style are in progress.