Tree Treasures by members of The Mid-Maryland Woodturners Club
The Mid-Maryland Woodturners Club (MMWTC; https://www.mmwtc.org) is proud to have seven (7) of its talented members offer an online exhibition of their beautiful woodturning skills through the Blanche Ames Art Gallery at https://uu-congregation-of-frederick.square.site . The exhibit starts on July 4 and runs through August 29, 2021. Use the following link to participate in an online Artists Reception on July 18th from 11:45 AM to 1:15 PM. Here is the link for the zoom reception. https://zoom.us/j/95531719685?pwd=TnN4clJaYWtJTE9Wejkwdys1dTNRdz09 Please note that this link will not work until 11:45 AM on July 18th.
The woodturning artists presenting in this exhibit include Bob Anderson, Bob Dorr, Walt Dutton, Bob Finkelstein, Nicholas Parr, Robert Stayman, and Dave Swiger. Their combined works include items such as artistic pieces, lidded boxes, functional platters and bowls, and utility items like ice cream scoops, lamp/fan pulls, bottle openers, bottle stoppers, vegetable peelers, and salt and pepper grinders. All items will be available for sale. The following are the artist statements/biographies of these talented folks along with a sneak peek of a piece being offered by each turner.
Bob Anderson
Artist Statement: Much of the satisfaction in creating is imagining a piece and then envisioning a process to make it. Most of this is done in my imagination and not with paper-and-pencil scientific precision. While this process provides a beginning direction, it also allows the inevitable serendipity in process as the piece continues towards completion. Craftsmanship is paramount; a piece poorly constructed is anathema. When a piece doesn!t "work”, it becomes not a failure but a chance to learn and, often, to try again. “...the principal payment for an artist is not in money...but in the personal satisfaction of creating beauty (as personally seen and felt), and giving to others some of the pleasure you have experienced in the producing.” artist Walter Farndon (1876-1964)
Biography: I am a retired psychologist and educator who creates art in wood and mixed media (wood, metal, rock and stone, often with embellishments of paint, scorching, fractal burning) in both woodturning and sculpture. Starting by making nutcrackers for my young son almost 30 years ago, my interest continued in making unique and one-of-
Page 1 of 5 a-kind pieces, constantly seeking to extend my skills and the limits of the media. In addition to the Mid-Maryland Woodturners Club, other professional memberships include the American Association of Woodturners, Capital Area Woodturners, and Montgomery County Woodturners.
Bob Dorr
Biography: I have been involved with woodworking to some degree for over sixty years as my grandfather was a Great Lakes wooden boat builder/cabinet maker and my father was a hobby woodworker and model ship builder. Over the years I have built furniture for friends, family and personal use as well as toys and some basic turning projects. After watching YouTube woodturning videos in early 2015, I decided to try a basic bowl and quickly discovered the tools and skills I had weren!t up to the task. After acquiring a larger lathe and taking a couple of classes from Mark Supik, I was hooked. Over the past three years I!ve been fortunate enough to work with a number of local Woodturners and attend workshops given by national and international woodturning professionals. At this point I consider myself an advanced beginner trying to find a personal style and focus.
Walter Dutton
Biography: After taking a week-long course in West Virginia two years ago, I added woodturning to my lifelong woodworking endeavors. I outfitted a workshop in Frederick, Maryland upon retirement to occupy my# "spare” time that one is supposed to have once no longer employed full time. This is my first participation in an art show: 100% of my sales will be donated to UUCF to help with their community projects. Turned items in this show are created from trees harvested from friends, neighbors and at tree-cutting parties in our community. Each piece of wood that I use in my projects has a unique story. For example, the sycamore peppermill was turned from a tree downed by the tornado that temporarily closed TJMax/Homegoods in Mount Airy two years ago. I am looking forward to an exciting new career in woodturning!
Page 2 of 5 Bob Finkelstein Artist Statement: I began turning wood five years ago. I was mentored by other Mid-Maryland Woodturners Club members. This craft quickly became my escape from the stress of my career; medicine for my soul, if you will. Soon, I was creating not only useful pieces, but artistic pieces as well. When I look at a piece of wood, I imagine what I want it to be. However, while turning the vessel, it tells me what it wants to be. The satisfaction comes throughout process. Whether it sits on display, or on the counter as a useful item in my home or someone else's doesn't matter. What brings a smile to my face is knowing that I've given that piece of tree new life in a different form that brings joy to someone.
Nicholas Parr Biography: When I am working on a project it becomes a collaboration between myself and the wood. I will even redesign a project so I can incorporate a hidden blemish, defect or change in grain pattern. Many of my turnings are embellished with crushed stone inlay designs of semi precious stones such as turquoise and malachite. But all of my pieces are to be used. I taught woodturning as a middle school industrial Arts teacher for 40 years. As a member of Mid Maryland Woodturners Club I am a mentor and give private lessons so members can improve their turning skills.
Page 3 of 5 Robert Stayman
Biography: For most of my career I was involved in antique automobile restoration. My specialty areas included body work, metal fabrication, painting, and historical accuracy. I enjoyed working with my hands and taking a rusty, torn apart old vehicle and returning it to "like new" condition. When I retired I took an interest in wood turning. The opportunity to take a piece of wood from a dead or fallen tree and create a functional piece appeals to me. Joining the Mid-Maryland Woodturners Club was a catalyst for my growth in turning. I met Don Smith, a highly skilled turner through the club's mentoring program. Don has been my mentor for over two years and has been a great help and good friend. I have been turning over 5 years now. I spend time in my workshop on most days. Wood turning is a great and rewarding hobby.
David Swiger
Artist Statement: I truly hope that my turnings will impart in you the feelings of contentment that I experience when turning pieces at my lathe. Feelings of serenity, happiness and pleasure!
Biography: After retiring as a Naval Combat System Engineer in 2004, I started Swiger WoodWorks, LLC, building custom woodworking benches, furniture, cabinets and doors. However, woodturning was always calling my name in the background; a carryover from my middle school days when I first turned on a lathe. Encouraged by my wife Brenda, and others, I redirected my woodworking efforts into woodturning. I immediately discovered feelings of serenity, happiness and pleasure… feelings of contentment!
To become an accomplished professional turner, I mentored two years with Don and Harriet Maloney of Bluemont, VA; well-known turners in the Washington, DC area. That mentoring process has now turned into a collaboration of encouraging each other to improve our
Page 4 of 5 skills. Every Tuesday I pack up tools and wood and head to their studio. This camaraderie continues to pay big dividends in the quality of my work. To further my capabilities, I take classes and workshops yearly with both internationally and nationally known professional turners including the likes of Liam O’Neil, David Ellsworth, Jimmy Clewes, Mike Sorge, Jamie Donaldson, and others. Additionally, I attend the Annual American Association of Woodturners Symposium where I am influenced by turning demonstrators like Mark Baker, Liam Flynn, and others with their theories on bowl and lidded box designs, hollow form turnings, etc. It is the combination of all of these stimuli that continuously help me to define my wood art pieces and to propel my work to new levels.
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