Chapter Profile: New Mexico Woodturners

new mexico woodturnersSeems like the are many well known artists from the Southwest. There are many types of art – paintings, sculpture, pottery, weavings and wood – that have a Southwest style.

The AAW chapter in Albuquerque also has some great artists. The New Mexico Woodturners was formed in 1992 and now has over 100 members from the Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and around central New Mexico. They meet on the first Saturday of the month. Recent demonstrators include Molly Winton who is a professional woodturner from the Northwest, Dave Stein who demonstrated turning parts and articulated joints for operable wooden “machines”, and coming up in July is Ralph Watts on how to layout, turn and carve legs for your vessel or bowl.

The members of the NMW participate each year in a woodturning exhibition at the New Mexico State Fair. The exhibition includes woodturning competitions, live demonstratons, and videos on a range of turning topics.

The NMW website has several galleries of work produced by the members as well as several tutorials on Long Stemmed Goblets, Metal Spinning, Advanced Laminations, Happy Face Pens, Laminate a Zia and more. They also have a fun quiz to test your wood eye – Think You Know Your Wood?

So for some of that Southwest feel, check out the New Mexico Woodturners.