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I am considered fairly new to the wood turning world, having only been turning part time for about 10 years and going full time last year. I have, however, been very fortunate to quickly make quite a few friends in the wood turning family. I have a great respect for turners who still have fun turning wood after many years of standing in front of a lathe. If wood turning ever gets to be a chore for me, I am finished with it. Happily, I do not see that happening.

I live in Henderson, Kentucky (heaven for wood turners) with my wife and two girls as well as our practically adopted daughter, Ava. Henderson is situated on the Ohio River and is known for its farming, beautiful countryside and early American history. Known as The Jewel on the Ohio, John James Audubon called Henderson home for many years and there is a 692 acre State Park named for him. I enjoy spending time at the park to relax and learn about all the different trees in this area. I am married to a wonderful lady who lets me indulge in my turning habit and even turns herself occasionally. I have two daughters who both enjoy woodturning and have excelled at making some beautiful pens.

I enjoy dabbling in web site design, although I have not mastered it by any means. I have added a woodturning articles page on my web site and the articles are written by well-known turners. There is also a new area where wood turners and woodworkers can submit articles. If you have an article you would like to submit, I would be happy to post it. Weather permitting, I love to be in the outdoors. Fishing, camping, and hiking in the mountains are some of my favorite outdoor activities.

I became a member of the AZ Woodturners Association and saw a whole new world open up for me. I learned that taking lessons from an accomplished turner was going to be a great benefit to me and started signing up for whatever classes I could find. I did not realize the magnitude at the time, but some of the workshops I participated in were from internationally recognized turners such as Soren Berger, Stuart Batty, Phil Brennion and others. What a way to improve my skill level! I was also inspired by visiting numerous local Art Galleries to see others' skills. Fine art dealers are becoming more interested in wood turned bowls and vessels as customer interest increases.

After my first year as a member of the Arizona Woodturners Association, I became the Vice President under Tim Wadley, a very accomplished turner himself. After that year I took over as President and served for two years. Joining a local wood turning association is highly recommended if you desire to improve your wood turning skills, even if only for the pure enjoyment of turning. I have also been a Board Member of the American Association of Woodturners. At this time however, I can not in good conscience recommend being a member of the AAW. They have become more interested in furthering an agenda that does not mirror what the vast majority of the membership desires. It has sadly become a political game that only a few will win with. It's sad to see such an organization fall off such a steep cliff of destruction. There is no longer any value in an AAW membership. 

At this point in my life, I have finally started turning full time. I do look forward to spending a lot more time in my shop turning. Living in Kentucky has no draw backs for a wood turner as wood is plentiful and the weather is fine. My favorite woods to turn that are local are Maple, Walnut and Oak. I find these woods through local tree trimming services or the local landfill. There are plenty of varieties of each of these species.  The temperatures are easier to handle than when I lived in Arizona where I chose to turn at night rather than the daytime. I would, however, prefer natural light over shop lighting. I get a lot of inspiration from watching other turners during demonstrations and looking at wood turners' web sites. I especially like trying something new on the lathe. Words of wisdom from a fellow turner taught me to never be afraid to try and exceed my limits. The internet has some wonderful resources for wood turners such as online forums. Some of my favorites are Wood Central, WOW, and Wood Magazine has a great one also that was moderated by well-known turner Phil Brennion. Wood Turned Art can be as satisfying and rewarding as any hobby or craft.

Whether you are a fine art wood turning collector, having your home remodeled, or just looking for that little something extra for a special place in your home or office, wood turned art may be just the thing you need. An original piece of wood art turned will add class to any decor and will be a pleasure to show off. Woodturnings can be made to fit that special place in your home with shape, texture and color to match your surroundings. Take your time as you look through my woodturning gallery and gather ideas for a special turning I can make for you. You may find just what you were looking for already in the gallery. I would also be very happy to do some custom woodturning for you. I see no reason to pay Gallery prices from a website for wood turned art and would never charge those high prices. I would rather see more people own woodturnings because they could afford to purchase them and enjoy them.

For those who are interested in woodturning but have never done so yet, do a Google search with the key terms 'woodturning' or 'wood turning', and you will find an enormous amount of good information to get you going in the correct direction. You are never told old to start woodturning and your only limitations are your imagination. 

 See  Author Cindy Troy's official website here: Cindy Troy   Edited Write is your full source proofreading and editing of written documents.

Am I an Artist? If you say so. Am I a craftsman? I like to think so but mostly I would call myself a woodturner. If I did not have a passion for wood turning, I most likely would not be doing it. I do believe one should put their best effort foward in anything they set out to accomplish. If you enjoy what you are doing, you will excel at that endeavor. Collecting wood that is destined for the landfill and turning it (no pun intended) into something another might enjoy is what it is all about. Seeing a log or a piece of wood evolve into a form that begs to be held, studied, and used is what I strive for as an end result. I would hope to never stop learning all that woodturning has to offer me and what I can offer to wood turning. I enjoy reading woodturning articles to help me learn and have a page on my site dedicated to woodturning articles. Custom woodturning can be a fun way to improve your skill level. You can't send out a piece with mistakes. With the wood turning tools that I use, I can make wood turned art, pens, and in general, fine art gifts.

Wood turned art is being enjoyed more and more around the world by collectors, galleries and friends of turners. Turned wood art makes wonderful gifts for any occasion!

Spending time out in my shop turning a section of wood into a usable or artistic piece has brought a lot of joy to my life. I bet that me being in the shop and out of the house has brought a lot of joy to my wife sometimes. Another thought, I have never met a woodturner who wasn't always willing to share all the knowledge they've gathered over the years with another turner. Woodworkers in general seem to be in a class by themselves. Helpful and an enjoyable lot to be around. 

Imagination or the development of one's own imagination seems to me to be so important in creating a wood turned art piece. I find that living in an area that promotes  ( at leat for me ) comfort and relaxation, speeds the the design process of each new turning. I feel very fortunate to live in just such an area. If you're ever in the area and want to talk wood, just drop me a line. It seems I always have plenty of local wood to share with my fellow woodturners. The most common woods I work with are, Maple, Cherry, Hackberry, Walnut and Oak. You never know what will be available at any given time. That's part of the fun, never quite knowing what your next wood haul will be.