I approach my woodturning with the philosophy that I only do it if the project is either fun, educational or simply something I have never done before. Rather than making a statement with my work, I just enjoy what I do and hopefully it adds beauty to the world. I love the sensual pleasure in the smell and feeling of working with wood and the instant gratification of watching shavings fly while seeing the shape appear before me.

Turning bowls, lidded vessels and boxes appeals to my personal preference for functional art but I also love the challenge of making purely decorative pieces. After thousands of years of glass, pottery and ceramics, all the possible purely round and rim shapes have been done. However, when these shapes are applied to wood, the variety of figuring, spalting, and colors, like an artist's palette, offer a wealth of possibilities that make each piece different.

The variety and beauty of wood continually awe me. As a turner I can use wood that would otherwise be wasted or become firewood. Although occasionally using exotics, I primarily work with North American hardwoods gathered from storm damage and construction sites or traded from other woodturners.

Contact Chuck by email at cnlmosser@cox.net