Artist Info - Ray Asselin
The Bowlwood shop is located in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts (U.S.A.), an area that's richly endowed with New England hardwood forests that provide much of the raw materials for wood bowls and vessels.
As a former database tech support person for large corporations, I can say that it's much more peaceful, and just as rewarding, to spend my days producing art objects on a wood lathe.
Several years ago I built a post-and-beam, timber framed wood shop heated by a small potbelly stove. Finally, I could move out of the dreary basement into a bright new world. Every wall has windows; the daylight flooding in makes all the difference. The days drift by when I'm turning wood, ankle deep in wood chips, particularly on winter days when the tranquility of falling snow sets the mood.
Most of the woods I turn are from local trees that have died or been taken down of necessity, or have been storm damaged. I don't cut down live trees for the sake of obtaining wood. The Australian burl woods I use are legally harvested and strictly controlled by Australian authorities; those burls are removed from the trees without cutting the trees down. You'll find many of my pieces retain the natural defects of the wood (worm holes, bark inclusions, voids, etc.), because they're a reminder of the rugged nature, endurance, and resilience of trees.
I also have a strong interest in the remnant old growth forests we have in the eastern U.S., especially those of western Massachusetts (of all places!). Such forests are inspiring and refreshing; they renew and drive my creative spirit. Time spent in those timeless woodlands is always too short. Another interest is producing videos of forest and wildlife related subjects; see the links below for more information.
To see some of my other turnings (lamps, vases, hollow vessels, music boxes, more), visit my Etsy shop, Timberturner.com.
Read the latest Bowlwood news on the Timberturner & Bowlwood blog.
Forest, wildlife, nature topics at New England Forests blog at NEForests.com
Watch nature & wildlife videos at my New England Forests Youtube channel.
Bowlwood Distinctive Handcrafted Wooden Bowls and More
featuring fine Burls and Hardwoods