Turning Over A New Log
John D. Anderson, Artist
Chattanooga, Tennessee
My love for woodworking began in my High School shop class. During the years that followed I married and raised a family. I also joined the Air Force and served my country for 20 years, dreaming of my retirement and starting a wood-turning business. After my military service my family and I chose to make Chattanooga, Tennessee our home. It was here that I pursued my wood-turning business.
When I am working with a new piece of wood it speaks to me and tells me what shape it wants to become. I love to stretch the limits of my imagination and create things I have not seen before. My pieces are all one of a kind. Using a variety of techniques, I shape wood to create objects that are both useful and works of art. As I approach a new piece of wood, using reclaimed when possible, I allow the inherent aspects of an unfinished piece; the shape, the color, the patterns in the grain, the natural edges, and knots and cracks, to guide my design. The pricing reflects the time I spend to shape, sand, and finish each piece which can vary quite a bit depending on what the wood wanted to be. Pieces segmented or inlaid with multiple wood varieties to form colorful designs take the most time. You will find real turquoise in the natural cracks in a lot of my pieces. Every work is finished by meticulously sanding and preserving the wood to draw out the natural color and grain, ensuring that the inherent beauty of the piece will last a lifetime.