I have been working with wood and using a lathe for most of my life. I try to bring out the character of each piece of wood through my work. My turnings include the "warts and all"; using the voids in the wood, bark inclusions, natural cracks and insect holes to let the wood guide me to its final design. These characteristics highlight the uniqueness of each piece of wood. The lathe lets me have very intimate contact with the wood. After searching for the wood and selecting a basic design, I am often nudged in another direction by the quirks in the material. This synergy between me, the turner, and the material, often leads to surprising results. I am always amazed by the end result of mind, hand and material.