Barbara Dill ~ Woodturner
Two Sisters Studio and Gallery
Rockville, Virginia, U.S.A.
www.barbaradill.com
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Barbara Dill ~ Woodturner |
My first encounter with wood was in the mid 1980’s. Prior to that, my experience as a maker was limited to photography and music. I started in an adult education class that focused on relief carving. I fell in love with wood and could not wait to get home where I could carve in the living room. I was able to leave the nursing profession in 1989. I then had more time to enjoy working with wood and continued using traditional methods to make bowls and relief work.
The thrilling aspect of all of this was that I had something tangible to see at the end of the day and work that brought smiles to my friend’s faces. Soon I attended a turning course at Arrowmont and loved working on the lathe. I came back to Richmond and bought a General lathe. I have spent most of my time since then working with local woods creating functional and artistic bowls and hollow forms.
I have been teaching woodturning basics here for several years and love the excitement that people feel as they make their first bowls. Recently I have been focused on multi axis spindle concepts and have created a conceptual model that helps clarify one’s thinking about something that can be difficult to comprehend.
I have found that isolating myself from viewing the works of others has helped me find a creative vein of my own. Since teaching was an important aspect of my nursing career, I have enjoyed figuring out how to explain turning concepts to others. The most thrilling aspect of my career is, in addition to the joy I have being a maker, making objects that bring a smile to the faces of others.
