I began wood turning in 1999 after a friend gave me a wood lathe. At the time I didn’t know what I would do with it. My full-time job is Assistant Controller for the University of Wisconsin Platteville. In the evening I teach behind-the-wheel driver education a couple nights each week. During the summer my wife and I spend most weekends on the road doing parades. When I am not working, teaching or parading I can usually be found in my basement workshop turning wood.

The art gallery at UWP is named after Harry Nohr who was a prominent wood turner in the area in the 70’s. This gave me an interest in turning bowls “like Harry did”. So I started my wood turning career making bowls.

Shortly after I started turning I joined the American Association of Woodturners (AAW). I attended their international convention in St. Paul in 2001 and was exposed to a world of turning besides bowls. That same year I joined the Coulee Region Woodturners which is a chapter of AAW. Each monthly meeting includes a demonstration of something about wood turning. Most of my training has come from books, tapes, DVD’s, live demos and a lot of practice.

I do it as a hobby. It is exciting and amazing to see what can be found inside a piece of “firewood”. If I did not use it it would be destined for somebody’s fireplace or woodstove. It is a shame to see such beautiful wood turned to ashes. Most of my woods such as walnut, ash, maple, cherry, box elder and elm are found locally in southwestern Wisconsin.

I have made hundreds of bowls but I also like to try making other things. Most of my turnings would be classified as utilitarian art. They can be used as well as displayed. I use any wood I can find. Most of it is “rescued” wood.

Wood turnings make beautiful keepsakes. They are a good way to preserve a piece of your favorite tree that came down in a storm or died from old age or disease,