My first exposure to Woodturning was with a purchased Shopsmith machine, in the early '70s.  My first turnings were candlesticks and other spindle type projects.  In the '80s, I discovered I could turn wooden pens.  I made hundreds and hundreds of pens.  Back then, I only experimented with bowls, until someone asked, "How much do you want for that?"

As you can imagine, that got my attention and then, my interests really took off!  I began turning any kind of wood I could get my hands on.  My wife and I discovered the world of Craft Fairs, I was hooked!  I had a ball, sharing and selling everything that I could turn.  The urban forest was providing all the wood I could ever use.

My turnings started to get bigger and in 1992 I sold my Shopsmith to purchase a 20" long bed Woodfast lathe.  With this lathe, I could turn bigger bowls and have complete speed control.  It didn't take very long to discover that turning bowls is what I really wanted to do.  It turned out to be my destiny. 

A few years later, I sold the Woodfast to purchase a Vicmarc bowl lathe.  This allowed me to turn even bigger, 24-inch pieces, without having to deal with the longer lathe bed that always got in my way.  Over the years, I turned and sold a lot of pieces using that bowl lathe. 

In 1999, at a woodturning club demonstration in Santa Rosa California, I discovered a whole new lathe.  That lathe is different from any other.  The bed can slide or rotate to increase the turning capacity. There is a built in vacuum port in the headstock and spindle.  It comes with a two hp motor with electronic control.  It also has an auxiliary bed with a banjo that attaches in five different locations for unprecedented turning flexibility.  Now even BIGGER pieces could be turned with the 30" diameter and 32-inch length capacity. I was immediately hooked, the next day, I ordered a S750 Omega Stubby lathe.    

With this new lathe, greater experience, and tools of my own design, the doors were opening wider to the world of "Artistic Woodturning".

I enjoy the search for the natural beauty of wood, with its grain and color.  Working with a piece of wood on my Lathe, a turning will emerge in all its glory, born to the new world of Artistic Woodturning.  The unknown treasure hiding in that log is so much a part of this wonderful search.  The turning might be a 1" miniature or a 20" natural edge bowl with each one being unique.  Using Bay Area trees I then know the origin of the wood, and sometimes even they have a hidden story to share. I enjoy turning green wood and by using "local wood" that is possible.  To have long streams of shavings come off the gouge or sap water spray from the wood is pure delight and something to behold.  Most of my turnings will have cracks, holes, or bark inclusions present and that will help to take my turnings to an ART FORM. As a self-taught turner each piece will add to my training, knowledge and growth.  With my "Open Studio" and my pallet ready I am always on that search...

So join with me and share the beauty of Artistic Woodturning .... Latheart!

Member American Association of Woodturners    .....................................................1989  -  present

Pres. West Bay Area Wood turners                     ......................................................1994  -   1995

Pres. Aegis Gallery of Fine Art                            ..................................................... 1995  -   1998

Pres. Gallery Saratoga                                        ..................................................... 1996  -   1999

Pres. Silicon Valley Woodturners                         .................................................... 1997  -   2010

Life Member of the national registry of Who?s Who

Life Member of the International Executive Guild

Honorary lifetime Member of the Silicon Valley Woodturners