Turning Over A New Log
Hometown: Chattanooga, TN
Visual Arts Category: Wood
About the Artist
John's love for woodworking began in his High School shop class at Provo High School, Provo, Utah. During the years that followed he married and raised a family. He also joined the Air Force and served his country for 20 years, dreaming of his retirement and starting a wood-turning business. After his military service, John and his family chose to make Chattanooga, TN their home. Born and raised here, it is exciting for John to be able to return and show his art in his home state of Utah.
Artist Statement
When I am working with a new piece of wood it speaks to me and tells me what shape it wants to become. I love to stretch the limits of my imagination and create things I have not seen before. My pieces are all one of a kind. Using a variety of techniques, I shape wood to create objects that are both useful and works of art. As I approach a new piece of wood, using
reclaimed when possible, I allow the inherent aspects of an unfinished piece; the shape, the color, the patterns in the grain, the natural edges, and knots and cracks, to guide my design. The pricing reflects the time I spend to shape, sand, and finish each piece which can vary quite a bit depending on what the wood wanted to be. Pieces constructed with multiple wood varieties to form colorful designs take the most time. I also have added turquoise or resin into the natural cracks of some pieces. Every work is finished by meticulously sanding and preserving the wood to draw out the the natural color and grain, ensuring that the inherent beauty of the piece will last a lifetime.
