Turned for Use

In the not to distant past woodturning was used to create utilitarian items like chair legs and simple bowls. Once woodturning started to increase in popularity, and with the advent of the AAW, woodturning has become more of an art. If you look at recent work by well know turners you will find pieces that belong on a museum display rather than on the dining room table.

In 1997 the AAW held their first themed and juried gallery with the theme of Turned for Use. There were many pieces that I would put in the “bowl” category. Not to say that they were not beautifully and skillfully crafted, but their primary purpose was to hold something.

For 2008 the AAW returned to the same theme with “Turned for Use II”. Obviously there are bowls, but there are also several musical instruments (mandolin, bagpipes, udu and djembe), stools, eyeglasses and even toilet plungers! As is said in the introduction the jurors for Turned for Use II used an expansive interpretation of the word “use”, but still meet the intent of the gallery.

So check out these galleries and see the evolution in turning that has occurred in just a decade.