After earning a Master's of Nursing degree from Boston University and having a 21 year career in nursing, Barbara Dill began her woodturning career in 1990.  She studied with David Ellsworth, Ray Key and Michael Hosaluk within the first year of her turning career.  She has studied with many other turners through the years. 

 

 She has been active locally by starting the cooperative gallery "…but is it art?" in 1991 and being a founding member of the local woodturning club, "Woodturners Anonymous" in the early 90's.  She has taught at the Visual Arts Center since 1998. In 2007, two articles written by Barbara about Multi Axis Spindle Turning were published in the American Journal of Woodturning.  She has been teaching multi axis concepts at various club meetings and symposiums within the South East.

 

Barbara works exclusively with local hardwoods that would otherwise be burned or discarded.  Gathering wood is an enjoyable part of her work.  She enjoys the imperfections of wood such as bark inclusions, spalting, worm holes and twisted grain.  Her work depends on the woods that she finds, making each piece unique.