Biography

xWorking with wood has been a lifelong pursuit which started at a very young age when my Dad, who owned a custom cabinet business, handed me a broom and said “sweep”!   After this simple beginning, he taught me to appreciate the beauty and flexibility of wood as a design medium while I learned the fundamentals of cabinet construction and safely using woodworking tools.   This interest in woodworking continued into adulthood with a focus on furniture design as a part time passion while I paid the bills as an engineering manager.  After over 30 years of making furniture, I discovered a new avenue for artistic expression through woodturning in 2006 and l have never looked back.  Combining my interest in precision woodworking with my analytical skills from engineering, and my newly found interest in woodturning has created a perfect storm that resulted in a fascination with segmented design.  In recent years, my interest in natural forms and textures is transforming my design approach by combining classical segmented construction with carving, pyrography, and painting to create unique organic forms.  Sharing this interest with others brings additional rewards.  Finally, thanks to my wife Brenda who puts up with the constant sawdust in the house, my two daughters Dawn and Amy who happily take anything I make, and 5 incredible grandchildren (Adyson, Samantha, Zac, Cooper and Avery) who like hanging out in the studio.

Achievements
President - Segmented Woodturners - 2018- Present
President - Chicago Woodturners 2014- 2017
Vice President - Segmented Woodturners - 2015-2017
Chairman - Turn-On Chicago Woodturning Symposium 2014- Present
​Chicago Woodturners Newsletter editor 2010-2014
Demonstrator - AAW symposium in Raleigh NC 2018
Demonstrator - Turn-on-Chicago 2010, 2012, and 2018
​Demonstrator - St. Louis Segmenting Symposium 2018
Demonstrator - Boston Segmenting symposium - 2016

AAW Traces POP exhibit 2019 -Juried artist
AAW Sphere POP exhibit 2017-  invited artist
Excellence in Segmented Turning Award - Segmented chapter of AAW -Lake Tahoe, October 2012
Excellence in Segmented Turning Award - Segmented chapter of AAW - , November 2010
"How woodworker makes the Turn from Crafter to Artist" - Published in Daily Herald - July 2012
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