Friday, April 27, 2012

Gallery No. 3

Sometimes if you see us at our regular spot at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market it may seem that our inventory is on the lighter side. That can sometimes happen for one of two reasons. Either we sell several pieces during the week or we have entered into another gallery. The case this week is that we have just been accepted into the Warehouse Art Gallery in Luray, VA. Directly across from the Luray Visitor's Center , it is a huge space where art is more than a piece you should purchase. It is a feeling that you absorb and want to take home with you. So along with so many other acclaimed artists here in the valley you will find several of Steve's pieces.

So with this in mind Steve has been quite busy, as he usually is, out in the studio. Bowl turning and spoon carving as just some examples are not as a rule made in a day. Sure he may be able to do the basic shape turning in a fair amount of time but it is all in the finishing that takes the time. Sanding then a coat of finish, then more sanding. All this to get to just the right smoothness. Good thing that there are always several projects happening at any given time. I think right now we are awaiting a set of Walnut salad hands, a new fairly large Spalted Ailanthus bowl, two smaller Singers Glen Oak bowls, a Black Birch bud vase, and a Raphine Maple bowl along with some of the smaller pieces that are still in the designing stage of life.
#571 Bowl Sycamore SOLD

So until next we meet, take the right branch…

Friday, April 20, 2012

Start - End

Well this will certainly be a short post. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. If that is so then I am giving you two thousand words.


Start : Singers Glen, VA chunk












End: Singers Glen, VA #553 Platter












Until next we meet…Debbie, wife of The WoodArt Studio artist Steve says... Pick the right branch

Friday, April 13, 2012

It's All Tim Yoder's Fault

So here we are in the middle of rural Virginia turning and carving away but how did we get from musical instrument repairs to woodturner? When we look back on it we smile, look towards the west, and say thank you Tim Yoder and your PBS show Woodturning Workshop.
You see Steve would work till about 6 and me till about 8pm. Tuesday night was pizza night in NY. I would pick it up on the way home and we would sit and eat in front of the TV. I know boring but after a long intense day of listening to clarinets, trumpets, violins and the likes there of all we wanted to do was watch mindless TV. Well who would have thought that while channel surfing that evening we would find Tim on Create TV. Right away we were hooked. Tuesday evenings were date night with Tim and pizza. Mindless TV now became thought provoking.
After several episodes Steve was eager to get a lathe of his own. It was nearing Christmas and I knew he didn't need another tie for Christmas so I said go and get a lathe. Who would have thought that he would take me up on that offer. Next thing I knew there was a beginners Delta Wood Lathe being put together in the basement. Every gift after that had something to do with woodturning. There were chisels, grinding wheels, sharpening stones and of course wood. After all when you live in NY you can't just go out and find a fallen tree to turn with.
And so that is how it all began in front of the TV. Neat story right? I can't find Tim on TV down here yet but he does have some cool YouTube videos. I found The Joy of Woodtuning with Tim Yoder today and it is not only about turning but displaying Tim's humorous side. Love it. We haven't met Tim in person yet but you never can tell what the future may hold. After all who would have thought that we would be in Virginia with The WoodArt Studio.
Oh and on a side limb, we just added over 30 more pieces to the Studio Gallery. Lots of holidays coming up so don't forget to go natural with a piece of wood. More pictures are always available upon request.
Until next we meet…Debbie, wife of The WoodArt Studio artist Steve says use the right branch.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Steady As She Goes

When is a woodturner not a woodturner? When he is busy making the tools needed to hone his craft. This is something that has been done all my life. Part out of necessity and part out of the pure joy of being able to do it. I think some of the first tools created were done when I owned the music store on Long Island. String Bass clamps come to mind along with all of the other orchestral clamps that I designed and made by hand and needed with much of my string repair business. After that another handy tool was the French Horn holder that I designed and created out of compelling circumstances. If you have ever seen a French Horn then you can only guess how interesting it might be to hold and repair all at the same time. But all of that is pretty much in the past chapters of life.

Today it is mostly about woodturning and woodcarving, even though there is still an instrument or two to create or repair but maybe that is a whole other post? There was never a chance to boast about the creation of those tools and there is certainly no need to now. And do understand that it is a very understated boast. In fact it is all Debbie's fault, the boldness that is. You know, Debbie wife of The WoodArt Studio artist, Steve. So onto it now. The Woodturners of the Virginias (WoVa), had their 2012's first Quarterly Challenge- Make a Tool. So what tool better to bring then the latest and possibly the best of all the woodturning tools created…the Steady Rest.

Used to keep the wood from wobbling this one is perfect for the job. And the WoVa people thought so also and gave this tool 1st place honors at the March meeting and gift certificates to buy more tools. It doesn't get too much better than this. Thanks WoVa for thinking my Steady Rest worthy. Now onto more turning.

Until next we meet…use the right branch.