It has been over 50 years since Oregon artist Tom Willing created his first woodturning in his father’s woodshop. Since then, he has come to focus on pieces that are sensitive to the interplay between light, form, and material. Working with both native and exotic species of woods, Willing seeks to reveal the visual magic within each piece of timber with which he works. In addition to sculptural display work, he designs pieces that combine the aesthetic and functional – bowls, pepper grinders, platters and more. Willing’s work is elegantly finished on the lathe with walnut oil and wax, then buffed to bring out the natural luster of the wood.
Willing holds his BA degree from the University of Oregon, an MA from the Ohio State University, and a MAT from Lewis and Clark University. He taught middle school in Newberg, Oregon, until retiring in 2013. President and Certified Member of the Pacific Northwest Woodturning Guild, he teaches woodturning workshops, and is an active member of both Northwest Woodturners and the American Association of Woodturners. A founding member and past President, he continues to serve as a Director of Frogwood, a 501(c)(3) Arts Education Organization. Willing lives in the Willamette Valley with his wife, watercolor artist Mary Burgess.
