meetings, woodturning Comments (0)
March – Michael Hampel will demonstrate his woodturning/sculpture techniques.
WOOD ART BY MICHAEL HAMPEL
I’ve worked with wood and trees my entire life, but I’ve found that turning and sculpting get to the essence of what I truly enjoy about creating objects from wood. The
limitations are pared down to what the structural limits of the material and my imagination.Much of my work begins on the lathe, and is often finished there, although carving and sculpting beyond the turning is what I really find exciting.
I use both power and hand tools in my work: from chain saw, grinders, carvers, rasps, rifflers, gouges on to sandpaper. I am self taught and all work is done by me alone. Most of the wood I use is local and comes from storm damaged trees and trees that are cut down due to old age, development, etc. Much of it is considered waste.
A good deal of my inspiration comes from the natural world. The composition and balance of things left alone especially in nature, almost always move me to want to capture that feeling in my work.Waves, moving water and those that inhabit the liquid environs have been a recurring theme for me in recent years. Attempting to capture such a dynamic quality with a solid and static medium such as wood is technically and artistically satisfying for me.
Michael’s website is Splintergarden.com.
Please remember to bring a food bank donation to every meeting.
willcee @ March 1, 2010