A Fresh Edge
By George Overpeck, Ted Heuer and Jerry Froeschle
Three talented and creative local wood turners will be featured in Ptarmigan Arts’ Back Room Gallery during the month of July. Ptarmigan’s own wood turning artists, George Overpeck and Ted Heuer, will be showing new artwork. George and Ted will be joined by Jerry Froeschle, who is also a master turner. Jerry frequently combines turning and carving in his pieces. These three turners have their own unique styles and they share a passion for the natural beauty and diversity of wood.
A Fresh Edge refers to the extremely sharp edge on the gouges, scrapers, and skews that turners use to create their work. Turners often stop turning to hone a fresh edge on their tools to prevent tearing the grain of the wood.
George’s turnings are mostly done with local birch and he often intends to reflect the individual tree used. Many works display the outer limits of a transformative microbial process known as spalting. His usual practice is to create simple forms to display the wood, but he sometimes uses embellishments such as dyes or high voltage pyrography. His website is www.betulaturning.com.
Ted specializes in functional art made to be admired and used. He uses all types of hardwoods, both domestic and exotic, often combining several species of wood in one piece. He favors segmented turning especially stave bowls and dizzy bowls. More of his work can be found on his website at www.tedswoodshop.com.
Jerry is not only an excellent turner, but he also has an artist’s eye for form and composition. His turnings range in size from small to very large and he often incorporates elements of nature into his work. Some of his work can be found at the Bear Creek Winery in Homer.
The First Friday opening reception for A Fresh Edge on July 1 was a huge success. The exhibit will be in the Back Room Gallery through August 2nd.
If you appreciate extraordinary and beautifully turned and finished woods, you have got to see and enjoy this show!