River Market ArtSpace

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Mick Hutchison	As a boy, I used to work with my grandfather in his basement wood working shop. He had many of his father’s tools, including a treadle lathe. It took a lot of effort to turn a project on that lathe, and in school I learned that lathes could be motorized making work much easier. So, during my sixteenth summer, I earned enough money to buy a used motorized lathe, and we had a great time turning lamps and bowls. Soon, college, employment, and family came, leaving little time for wood turning. After my grandfather died, the lathe moved to a corner of my basement, and it moved with my family and me over three states and some fifty years.
Shortly after I retired, I cleaned our basement and found the dusty lathe. It looked like it needed something to do and so did I. I cleaned and oiled it and turned a couple of projects. Little did I know that this beginning would develop into a passion for me. Although I still use the lathe which is over a hundred years old, there is now a new lathe and other woodworking tools as well. Two years ago, I became interested in creating segmented bowls. Now, many of my pieces are made from more than three hundred individual pieces of wood. I try to compliment woods which are native to Arkansas, with exotic colored woods from other parts of the world. I never use paint or stain; instead, the natural wood colors are enhanced with oils and clear finish. Each piece is cut and glued into multi-sided rings that are then stacked and glued to form the rough shape of the project. Only then is the project turned into its final shape. I usually complete about twenty pieces each year, and I try to make each piece a unique design, never duplicating a project once it is finished. The colors and forms of my turnings are quite durable. They are not meant to be used with water or any wet medium, and they should be kept out of direct sunlight and extreme hot, cold, or moist environments. Dusting or occasional light dustings with Pledge should keep the finish looking good. Each piece is signed and dated the day it was turned; the date identifies the bowl, as I never turn more than one bowl in a day. Two of my sons have shown some interest in wood turning. Both have completed several pieces including segmented work. Their time, like mine was, is limited by jobs and family. My grandson has completed a few solid pieces. I enjoy working in the basement with them as my grandfather did with me.

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