featuring selected North American and Australian Burls and Hardwoods
Artist Info - Ray Asselin My first experience turning wood was on an old treadle lathe in a one-day class at Hancock Shaker Village in Hancock, MA, some 25 years ago. I was hooked. In 1994, I purchased my first lathe, and have been enjoying turning ever since. Most of my early turnings were "weed pots" (vases into which you put dried weeds, grasses, etc.), but have included many other objects, such as platters, bowls, lamps, lidded boxes, candle holders, hollow vessels, and some segmented items. Today, I'm primarily turning bowls, vases, and vessels. The excitement of turning a new wood species for the first time never fades. Most of the woods I turn are from local trees that have died or been taken down of necessity, or have been storm damaged. I don't cut down live trees for the sake of obtaining wood. The Australian burl woods I use are legally harvested and strictly controlled by Australian authorities; the burls are removed from the trees without cutting the trees down. You'll find many of my pieces retain the natural defects of the wood (worm holes, bark inclusions, voids, etc.), because they're a reminder of the rugged nature and resilience of trees. To see some of my other turnings (lamps, vases, hollow vessels, music boxes, more), visit my Etsy shop, www.timberturner.com.
The Bowlwood shop is located in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts (U.S.A.), an area that's richly endowed with New England hardwood forests that provide much of the raw materials for wood bowls and vessels.
As a former database tech support person for large corporations, I can say that it's much more peaceful, and just as rewarding, to spend my days producing art objects on a wood lathe.
Several years ago I built a post-and-beam, timber framed woodshop heated by a small potbelly stove. Finally, I could move out of the dreary basement into a bright new world. Every wall has windows; the daylight flooding in makes all the difference. The days drift by when I'm turning wood, ankle deep in wood chips, particularly on winter days when the tranquility of falling snow sets the mood.
You're invited to join my blog at
www.timberturner.blogspot.com
You can also see my work in these galleries and shops:
- Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA
- Paper Reeds, Somers, CT
- Petersham Craft Center,
Petersham, MA
- North Quabbin Woods, Orange, MA
- Nashawannuck Gallery,
Easthampton, MA
- Hotchkiss Mobiles Gallery,
W. Stockbridge, MA
- Flights of Fancy Gallery,
Stafford Springs, CT
- Inside Out Home & Garden, Wilbraham, MA
| Contact Info Email: ray@bowlwood.com Phone: U.S.A. (413) 596-8292 Purchase & Shipping Info For U.S.A. customers: to purchase an item via PayPal, click its "Buy Now" button on the gallery page; you will be transferred to PayPal's secure site to process the payment, then returned to this site; be sure to enter your shipping address on the PayPal page. Specified shipping prices are for U.S.A. destinations only. For customers outside the U.S.A., or for international shipments: please contact me (do not use the "Buy Now" buttons). I will calculate shipping costs and invoice you through PayPal. For inquiries, or to purchase by check, contact me. Purchases will be shipped promptly, usually via US Postal Service. Your satisfaction is my goal; if you are not happy with a purchase, you may return the item for a refund, as long as it is in the same condition as you received it. Shipping costs are non-refundable. Custom Orders Inquiries about custom orders are welcomed. Custom orders will require at least a partial prepayment. Links To see some of my other turned items, visit my Etsy shop, www.timberturner.com. Visit and join my blog at www.timberturner.blogspot.com For one of the best American dealers in Australian and North American burls, see Bad Dogs Burl Source. Member, Central New England Woodturners, www.cnew.org. Member, Artisans of Western Mass, http://artisansofwmass.com/artisans.html. |
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