Raymond Overman - The Naked Woodturner
Over the past six years I have worked with wood as a pastime to bring my visions
into reality. As I have developed my understanding of the technique and craftsmanship
of woodturning, I found myself moving from a "let the tree tell me what it wants to
be," attitude to me controlling the process and reading the material to determine if
it will fit my vision. I've learned enhancement techniques and experimented with
classic forms, textures, naturally occurring negative space, colors, and design
fundamentals so that I can include them in my work.
The primary medium I use is reclaimed and heirloom wood. Reclaimed wood is from local
trees taken down for various construction projects and disease or decay. Heirloom wood
is from a tree that someone brings to me and requests a commission piece. Most of the
time, heirloom wood is from someone's home place and I really enjoy creating something
that I know will help them remember their heritage.
I use a non-structured technique to realize my vision. It usually starts with me
thinking about a piece for days or weeks before going out to my shop and putting
something down in wood. In my work, the process isn't as important as the end product
so my array of tools and my liberal use of sandpaper may annoy some other woodturning
artists, but it's the way I work. I enjoy the process of creating in my mind and then
translating that to my medium but it's the goal of the finished work that drives me.
In other words, the perfection of a single cut isn't what I'm looking for, it's the
bowl or vase or sculpture that I saw in my dreams for days that is the goal.
I am continuing to create objects in loosely connected series and I hope to help
bring turned wood art to the forefront in my community and share my enjoyment of the
medium with everyone.
Contact me at raymondo@overmanshop.com with any questions.