Welcome to Deciduous Creations

Based out of Victoria BC, I have been turning since 2018 after a trip to New Zealand the previous year, where a friend introduced me to the art.  Upon my return, I dusted off an old lathe I had for a few years, set it up and tried turning.  It was not a great setup and the results were not very good.  A member of the local woodturners guild gave me a better lathe and some pointers.  I joined the local guild (https://www.islandwoodturners.ca/) took their introductory course and got started.  in 2020 I purchased a new lathe, a Laguna Revo 18/36 and some new chisels, I was off to the races.

I turn for fun and get my wood from folks who have lost a tree or needed to have one taken down.  Some of my creations end up as gifts for friends, there are usually some available at Charelli's  a very popular cheese shop and delicatessen in the neighbourhood.  (https://www.charellis.com/) I do sell my bowls and can also create custom pieces. 

All photos of my creations are taken by Lori Stenson.

I enjoy turning all sorts of wood, each piece of wood has its characteristics and personality; I let those influence what I make from it and  the final creation that comes off the lathe.  Sometimes I am lucky and create a beautiful item, other times I create a beautiful piece of firewood for a friends fireplace.  The shavings or chips that come from my turning are typically given to a gardener for composting or to a chicken farmer to keep the chickens dry and warm then composted, so nothing goes to waste.

I typically work with locally sourced wood that I get from people who have had a tree fall in a storm or one that has had to come down due to disease.  Once people know that I can turn a fallen tree into art they typically let me know of a tree they or a friend/neighbour has had come down and I and sometimes a friend go over and pick it up.

Last year a co-workers of my wife let me know they had an old Arbutus and a Garry Oak that had to come down; I have been prepping and turning wood from those for a bit now.  All the Garry Oak bowls you see here so far are from that tree.

On occasion I am fortunate enough to have someone bring me something special like the Aspen burl in the gallery or some pieces of Walnut, both very nice woods to turn and with some spectacular results.

I am always looking for more turning stock so if you know of any in the CRD please let me know.