Booth 212
(See Map Below)
About the Artist
Choosing wood as a creative medium was natural for me. My father was a carpenter and shipwright (boat builder). He taught me, as a young boy growing up in my native Barbados, that working with wood was addicting. As I mimicked every cut and style he made using only hand tools, I developed good skills and an understanding of working with wood. My earlier works explored the seemingly infinite variety of shapes and forms that allowed the natural beauty of the wood to be reflected in the vessels created. However, I wanted to create pieces that showed a connection between my thought processes and my chosen medium. In the late 1980s, I started creating wood-turned art utilizing a lathe. This allowed me to hone my skills in the art of hollow turning, thereby creating vessels that showed harmony between the unique features in the different woods and the shapes and forms chosen to display them. I work with native American woods --mainly burls-- and some international exotics. However, woods from the maple species are my favorites with which to work. Also, selection is key in the woods I use, since not all wood types are suitable for turning. All vessels are one-of-a-kind originals and carry nominal wall thicknesses ranging from 3 /16 to 3 /8 of an inch depending on the size of the vessel and type of wood. Each vessel sits on a contrasting base, and has a removable cover with shaped finial attached. The surface of each vessel is protected by several coats of a sprayed-on, high quality, clear lacquer that helps to protect and enhance the naturalness of the wood. I am inspired by nature’s revelations, travels, family, the workmanship of things made, memories and experiences of the past, and artists whose works I admire. Therefore, I strive to continually present this creative experience through my work, which connects these processes, making them real
Based in Safety Harbor, Florida
