turning of the week

My choice for Turning of the Week of April 15, 2024, is "Big Leaf Maple" by Kevin Jesequel. Each of Kevin’s hollow forms in this style catches my eye when he posts them. This week he treated us to three. I like this one best. The curve is clean from the table to the lip detail. The texture...

The turning of the week for April 8, 2024 is produced on his "hand-built" Rose Engine Lathe created "Small Ornamental Box" by Colin Spencer. From his album, it looks like this may be the first of many to come. The Rose Engine technique is seldom used, but seems to be very popular with...

Jaramiah Severns' "Claro Walnut Hollow Form" is my choice for Turning of the Week for April 1, 2024. He has created a wonderfully balanced form, that has no flats anywhere on the surface. Of note, he has taken the extra care to 'finish the finish', by applying several coats of shellac. These...

Every time my turn comes around (puns not intended) to choose a featured turning, I always get a bit nervous. Is my choice appropriate? Will I offend the non-chosen? And soon, and so on. This week, as with others, there are myriad worthy pieces. However, my eye was drawn to one just a bit more...

With all of the excellent work in the photo gallery, it is always simultaneously a difficult job and a pleasure (once I find the "right" one). My selection for the week of March 18, 2024, Column by Lorin Bruckin kept calling me back for another look. The combination of a leaning rough textured...

Since the day this great piece was posted, I knew it was destined to be a TOTW. Commitment and dedication are two words that came to mind when I saw it for the first time. I'm just glad that the other members of the TOTW team left it for me. This week's honor goes to @Bradner Bond and his work...

My choice for TOTW for March 4, 2024, is “Emerging World” by Jim McLain. This is an early work by Jim (made before his wonderful “Chaco” series) that is just outstanding. The spheres look perfect and the hemispherical base is complementary with the overall theme of the piece. I love the look of...

My choice for Turning of the Week for February 19, 2024 is Flower Spin Tops by Christine Smith. Delightfully disguised as flowers these tops are arranged on an attractive natural base. The colors are eye-catching and the painting gives the petals a three-dimensional quality. I especially like...

There are a large number of very worthy pieces to choose from today (this week). My short list was not so short. But, when I looked at all of the pieces holistically (form, finish, timber, photograph, "howdyadothat factor", technical prowess), "Levitate" by Dave Landers rose to the top. I've...

There are so many excellent turnings in the AAW Forum gallery that I was once again stuck on the horns of a dilemma when making my selection for turning of the week. However, there was one that I kept coming back to, first because of the excellent photography and a beautiful "still life"...

I'm always amazed by the amount and the quality of the work posted daily in the gallery. It makes picking the TOTW a very difficult decision. Since the AAW is promoting the TOTW on social media, I have started to be very picky about the quality of the picture. Sadly, I saw one amazing piece of...

My choice for TOTW....the first of this new year, is Dave Roberts' "Morphed and Nested" entry into the AAW member's gallery. This nested set of bowls has been on my mind since he first posted it. No question that it has a mystique to it that is a draw on one's aesthetic senses. -o- mys·tique...

My selection for turning of the week for December 25, 2023 is “Cherry Burl Ornament” by James Seyfried. This is an elegant ornament that can hold a place of honor on any tree or grace a mantle year round. The globe and finials are expertly turned with appealing proportions. James describes...

It’s the time of year when many of us celebrate hanging all manner of things on live coniferous trees, as well as plastic versions, and everywhere else we can find a place that needs adornment. In the Woodturning community, I thought I had seen it all. And then Linda Ferber posts her Mushroom...

It is very challenging to choose a turning of the week. A quick glance at the forum and you will see many artistic and technical masterpieces. Any number of them would be suitable for this feature. Then there are other pieces with great stories attached that highlight the generosity and...

Whenever I search for the turning of the week, I look for something that conveys a message or feeling that demands closer inspection. I found that and more in an example of the maker's ability to think well outside the "round and brown" box ... something that really "resonated" both emotionally...

I love it when picking the TOTW is easy. Kevin Jesequel's work, "Fiddleback Maple" is a beautifully designed hollow form. As Bill Boehme said to Kevin, "I'm amazed that you can hollow it through such a tiny opening". Even if he had painted it black, I would still have chosen it as TOTW. The...

My selection for Turning of the Week for November 13, 2023 is "Pierced Holly Bowl" by Lou Jacobs. Lou has turned a nicely formed little bowl with some tasteful piercing. This is his third attempt at piercing – with major improvements in each version, IMHO. The pierced pattern on this one also...

Although there has been some absolutely outstanding embellished turnings as of late, I had pre-planned to pick something that exemplifies pure turning skills....the very heart of what it means to be a wood lathe turner. Here we have an example of a vessel that's been turned on the exterior, as...

My choice for Turning of the Week beginning Monday, October 9, 2023 is "Chock Full of Nuggets" by David Bartell. David has succeeded in the challenging task of producing a body of work that is instantly recognizable as his own. His signature vessels are made in the Southwestern style, and often...