About The Artist

     I am a Florida native, born, raised and still currently living in Bradenton, Florida.  Woodturning was not my first love or career.  My Dad bought me a go-cart when I was about ten.  That started me off in the racing and engine building direction.  I have raced dirt bikes, boats, go-carts and cars.  I soon found out just how expensive that could be, so the answer was to work where the race motors were being built. 

     After thirty years of that career and hobby, my wife said that she would be much happier if I took up a safer hobby, thus came woodturning.  So in the year 2000, I started out on a 1948 Shopsmith, but having been used to operating the precision equipment used in the racing world, that old lathe didn’t last long.  Now, seven lathes later, I am using a Oneway 2436.

     I am self-taught.  I have never had a lesson, taken a class or read a book on turning.  I did look at a video on how to get started, but I soon found that each turner has his or her own method of turning.  The video I had seen wasn’t the method for me.  The first show that I ever did back in 2001, my wife and I met a couple from Canada, Steve and Olive Walsh, who winter in Florida.  Olive is a wood carver and painter.  Steve is a carver and woodturner.  We became friends at that show and remain good friends.  Steve had a few years of experience on me.  He offered his guidance, which has helped me greatly.  We still continue to get together to trade ideas and techniques.

     My friends, family and woodturning buddies will tell you that I am a perfectionist, sometimes too much so.  I enjoy the challenge of starting with a section of a tree, not knowing what you will find inside, and creating a thing of beauty.  This includes every knot, groove, line and even hole found naturally in the wood, giving it character and originality.