"Thirty spokes
meet in the hub.
Where the wheel isn't
is where it's useful.
Hollowed out,
clay makes a pot.
Where the pot's not
is where it's useful.
Cut doors and windows
to make a room.
Where the room isn't,
there's room for you.
So the profit in what is
is in the use of what isn't."
— Ursula K. Le Guin,
Tao Te Ching (Book One, Chapter 11)
I discovered woodturning in my early thirties—which, by my calculations, was about 15 years too late. Despite the "delayed" start, I have enjoyed every moment since, captivated by the lathe and the incredible raw material provided by our local landscape.
While I enjoy experimenting with form, the wood is always the centerpiece. Every cut from every species is unique and making each piece feels like a little journey of discovery.
Based in Western North Carolina, I am lucky to live in one of the most biodiverse forests in the world, home to nearly 150 different tree species. Because woodturning requires relatively small amounts of material, I work almost exclusively with naturally fallen trees or scraps salvaged from arboriculture.
I often joke that I enjoy the process first, and the finished pieces are just what happens to be left over.
For me, the craft is equally about finding a calm presence when working as it is about trying to make something beautiful.