Artist's Statement:

I am a self-taught wood turner. From the moment I started turning wood on a lathe and watched shavings peel off onto the shop floor, I was hooked. Using books, watching videos and attending demonstrations by seasoned wood turners, I soon became an accomplished wood turner.

Turning mostly native Virginia woods, I am always searching for unusual color and grain. I like to highlight characteristics in the wood that others might consider flaws. I work carefully with the wood, letting it dictate the form, but use my own design ideas and artistic skill to transform the inherent grain and texture of the wood into a finished piece of art. Wasting as little wood as possible, I use the larger pieces for bowls and enclosed vessels; cutoffs are used for small projects, such as ornaments, bottle stoppers, and miniatures. One-of-a-kind pieces are made to the highest quality possible. A Danish oil finish is used to bring out the beauty of the wood without sacrificing the natural texture. The piece is then polished with a triple-wax system to create subtle shine and add depth to the grain pattern. Turning is both a passion and a challenge. Wood has a mind of its own - the end result may be very different from what you originally imagined.

I grew up on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. During the week, my wife, Ruth, and I reside in the small town of Lanexa, 15 miles west of Williamsburg. Weekends are spent at our home on Lydia Mountain just outside of Standardsville. My full-time career of over 40 years has been spent in the telephone industry with C&P, AT&T, Lucent Technologies and Avaya Communications. In the next few years, I plan to retire and devote all of my time to fine-tuning my wood-turning craft.
Richard C. Hines