#woodturning
Byron Young’s first introduction to woodturning came during the 1960’s from a lathe his father kept in the basement. However, it wasn’t until many years later when he saw a video of a professional woodturner at work that he thought to himself, “I can probably do that as well as he can.” Ever since, Byron has been honing his skills and now demonstrates his turning abilities for others at events like the Mountain State Arts and Crafts Fair and Charleston’s yearly FestivALL celebration. He is also an active member of the American Association of Woodturners and serves as Vice President for his local chapter, the Mountaineer Wood Turners, which is based in Ripley.
For the second year in a row, Byron’s work earned a spot in The Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition, which is hosted annually by Tamarack and the Tamarack Artisan Foundation. This is also the second consecutive year he has taken an award from the exhibition, this time, a Third Place prize for his piece “Purple Mountain Majesty.” Turned from purpleheart and holly, Byron used “Purple Mountain Majesty” as an opportunity to create a piece of woodwork that would “jump out” at viewers with unique design elements and unexpected hues. “I decided to use those two woods because of their contrasting color,” he explains. “I also spent a considerable amount of time obtaining smooth and pleasing curves, making sure the base and the top finial complimented each other.”
Aside from the general complexities associated with turning a piece with lots of curves and points, Byron challenged himself further by designating purpleheart for the piece’s intricate body. “Purpleheart is a unique wood,” he tells us. “[It] is ranked as one of the hardest and stiffest in the world, which makes the turning process a little slower. Care must be taken when making delicate points so not to chip. The lid was also a challenge to get that perfect fit and dome shape.”
Byron’s hard work made an impression on this year’s exhibition judges Tim Glotzbach (Berea, KY) and Jennifer D. Anderson (Roanoke, VA). They were impressed with the overall design of “Purple Mountain Majesty,” stating it “displayed a mastery of technique that was evident in each individual part as well as the totality of the work.” They were also appreciative of the work’s intentional visual balance, noting that “a very conscious effort was made to juxtapose weight, scale, and color to create tension, and therefore, a dynamic and fluid viewing experience.”
Although awards were just presented, Byron is already thinking about his entry into next year’s Best of show. “I’m always experimenting with new ideas,” he tells us. “More often than not, they don’t pan out well, but I always learn something to take with me to the next project… Right now, I’m working with color and texture in a new realm. I find the mixture of woodturning, the addition of color and different textures to be artistically challenging. Finding the right combination can be quite a challenge, but a challenge I find very fulfilling.”
Join us in congratulating Byron on his second award winning year. And be sure to stop in and see “Purple Mountain Majesty” soon – the exhibit will close on August 9.