As a boy, I became fascinated with wood. Ever since, I’ve been working to hone the art and craft of fine woodworking, filling my house with furniture, building a cedar strip canoe, a guitar, and a ukelele, and of course, turning bowls, vessels, platters, urns, and sculptures on the lathe. Happily, after a long career as a winemaker here in the Napa Valley, I am now retired and able to devote more time to my lifelong passion for wood.

 Wood breathes life into even the simplest forms. As I turn bowls and other objects of utility and art, my goal is to “read” the wood to divine its best use. I am particularly fond of burlwood, highly figured and curly grain patterns, and “chatoyance” (the shimmery wavy quality that some woods possess), and collect special specimens from around the world. 

 I am also a strong believer in re-use of materials. Sometimes I will rescue a poorly turned bowl tucked away in a thrift shop to remake it into something of real interest. Whenever possible, I make keepsakes from old trees that were uprooted by a storm or are being torn down to make room for power lines or construction. And to this day, I admire a well-made wooden spinning top – the universal toy – and have been exploring the use of small pieces of exotic woods to make durable tops that will spin mesmerizingly for minutes at a time.