Bob is an engineer by trade and his demonstrations are a treat.  Every tenon is turned to within in a millimeter.  Every step is clearly described.  Our members should easily be able to duplicate Bob’s project .  Bob included a sheet of instructions for different size bird houses. 

  Bob is certainly a Club treasure.  His sense of humor and willingness to share his knowledge are truly appreciated.  If you missed this demonstration you missed the opportunity to become a better turner.  Thanks Bob.

Show and Tell

  Charlie Panzner brought in several segmented turnings.  He showed a burl bowl, and oak plate, a dogwood and bubinga bowl, a spalted sycamore bowl and a cake plate.   He introduced liming to one of the projects and finished with Libron.  Charlie fine sands off the lathe.

  John McCormick  brought a small tray of epe.  He waxed it to finish.  It was a fine project for someone new to turning.

  Ken Deaner showed a whimsical piece that included many covered boxes that formed a funny face.   He also showed a carved triangular bowl on a rocking base.

  Joel Rakower  sandblasted a redwood vase and attached some pussy-willow branches to  elevate the project.

  Joe DeMaio  showed a number of very thin bowls of mulbury, Norway maple and maple. 

  Martin Rost  showed a cherry dish finished with walnut oil, and  a miniature port bottle of teak finished with friction polish.

  Doug Ruggiero did a mahogany bowl finished with shellac.

Dues 2003

  If you have not paid your LIWA 2003 dues of $25 they are overdue.  Please send a check to Joe DeMaio immediately. 

Try A Series

By Ken Deaner

 Frank Sudol lecturing at the June 2003 Symposium in Rhode Island was very clear that criticism may be  irrelevant.  If your turning makes your happy nothing else matters.

Jim Diamond brought a series of bowls to our last Show and Tell.  Jim is modest in describing his work and always points out how he could have done something different to modify what he is displaying.  Jim is generous with his time and recently ran a seminar at his home for a number of our newer members to help them learn to turn. .Jim has strong feelings about what represents good turning. Our newer turners have found a fine teacher in Jim.

  My view is that novice turners need to master the basics.  Once they have mastered turning basics including the use of tools, clean finishes, thin walls and fair curves. they should begin to experiment without concern for what others might say about their work.  Sudol

  I often ask Jim for his opinions.  I respect his opinion even though I do not always agree with him.  Art is in the eye of the beholder.  I even disagree with Jim sometimes when it comes to his critique of his own work.  I was very happy to see Jim produce a fine series of bowls at the last meeting.  Each bowl had a relationship to the others.  They were carved or burned but no two were exactly alike.  It showed that Jim was not satisfied with simply making a bowl but wanted to test his creative juices. 

  I have been striving to do things that are different.  I take a concept and play with it.  Recently I began turning angular pieces.  The first piece was a balancing act.  The piece had to be supported by a base that held the triangular structure. Joel Rakower’s comments about the piece motivated me to try another.  The second piece incorporated pillars and an oriental flavor.  It led me to try something even more radically different.  I combined the balancing act with carving and came up with something totally new.  It was a self-balancing piece.

  I am not looking to praise myself.  I am looking to take the encouragement of others to move me to try new things.  I am having fun.  It is more than just turning bowls.  It involves the creative process.  It does not matter what others think of what I have done.  It matters that I like what I have done and I am enjoying exploring.

  Thanks Joel, thanks Jim and thanks, thanks Frank.  You have made the process more interesting for me.  You have moved me and motivated me.

  Joel asked me to demonstrate the angular work in the future.  I told him that for each piece that I complete at least two are sitting in the scrap bin.  Don’t be afraid to try something new.  Don’t be afraid to test your skills.  Don’t worry about spoiling a piece.  Be prepared to throw days of work away in your search for your own style.  Once you have discovered something new do more than one.  No two pieces should be exactly the same.  Test your creativity and do not be afraid to bring your new creations to Show and Tell. When people begin copying your ideas you have achieved a great deal.  Rather than copying take something from others and try for something new and unique you can call your own. 

  The difference between an artist and a craftsman is the difference between copying and novelty.  Frank Sudol told a story about people buying his work when he first started selling them at shows.  An angry customer challenged him to do something original and not copied from others. As soon as he developed the necessary skills he did just that. Look at his work now. 

  Good luck in you search.  Bring your series to Show and Tell.  Show us how you have grown.