About the artist

About the Artist:

Dwight has been a woodworker for most of his life, and only recently begun showing his artwork publicly. During the day, he spends his time as an electrical engineer working for a large semiconductor manufacturing company in the Phoenix area. He has always enjoyed the creative outlet of transforming wood into artistic objects. "Creating beautiful wooden hollow forms is a wonderful diversion for me after a long day at the office, and I eventually wish to make it a full-time occupation."

The foundation for his skills was laid as a child working in his father's basement shop on Long Island, where he grew up. "By the time I was eight or nine, I was building simple projects, furniture and decorations from the scraps that were left over from Dad's projects." His artistic abilities were evident in early childhood, and were inspired and cultivated by visits to the many art museums in the metropolitan New York area. Summer camp was also an opportunity to learn more about wood, and this is where Dwight was introduced to the lathe, creating a simple table lamp from Vermont spalted birch. By the time he reached high school, he had won medals and honors in Industrial Arts. His formal education in engineering developed the attention to detail that has enabled the construction of such complex objects. Segmented wood turning is the next step in the evolution of his quest for creative fulfillment.

"I have always been an artist waiting for the opportunity to express myself. My rediscovery of the lathe as an artistic means of self expression took twenty five years." In the mid 90s, Dwight began refining his skills as a cabinet maker and furniture designer, making classical forms of timeless beauty. This was a time of experimenting and skill building - laying the groundwork for the joinery that would later enable him to construct the complex segmented forms that are now his trademark. "I view each vessel as a challenge that enables me to extend the limits of my skills and creativity."

Today he designs and turns original segmented wooden vessels in his Phoenix studio. The vessels he turns are the combination of artistic vision, precision design and flawless execution. Each piece is the result of weeks worth of planning and sketching, followed by countless hours of construction. The form is assembled one layer at a time, glued to the previous layer, and turned to the proper dimension. Many coats of finish are applied while the piece is still rotating on the lathe, and then finally buffed to a glass-like finish. "The finish is key to giving each vessel the tactile quality that makes it a pleasure to view and hold."

Native American themes and the desert southwest give inspiration to many of Dwight's designs. The tribes of the Southwest have a long tradition of creating beautiful shapes in clay, and decorating them with geometric patterns. These shapes lend themselves to expression in wood. The rare and exotic hardwood species from around the world used in Dwight's work bring exciting patterns and textures to the vessels, adding a new dimension to the beauty of the Indian pottery. There are also timeless elements of nature expressed in the growth patterns displayed in the grain - like peering backwards in time through the life of the tree that yielded these treasures. Trees grow very slowly in the desert, and the mesquite and ironwood used in many of Dwight's turnings were alive when the original settlers tamed the west. The combination of form, pattern, color and texture stimulate all the senses, and delight the observer with many emotions. "Searching for the most pleasing balance of these qualities is a continuous journey of discovery. I invite you to come along..."

Dwight is a member of the American Association of Woodturners, and his local chapter, the Arizona Woodturners Association. The resources and support offered by these organizations has been an important factor in encouraging the development of many young artists. "I encourage those wishing to explore the art of woodturning to seek out your local AAW chapter, and avail yourself of the collective wisdom and experience offered by others who have traveled this road."

Dwight was recently honored to be a demonstrator at the first annual Desert Woodturning Roundup in Mesa, Arizona.

Dwight at work in his studio: