david adolph
vancouver
wood | mixed media
about
David was born and lives in Vancouver, British Columbia and began working with wood at an early age. At 14 he started hand carving wooden picture frames for his uncle who owned a custom picture frame manufacturing company. Several years later, his focus shifted to the study and practise of relief carving, and carving designs on various types of furniture. He bought his first lathe and began wood turning in 2010. David has honed his skills by attending demos and workshops by internationally known wood turners, watching videos, and reading various publications. He has been a member of the Greater Vancouver Woodturners Guild for many years.
artist statement
I begin by selecting wood mostly from trees which have been cut down for various reasons by local arborists – wood that would otherwise be destined for landfill. Also, some of my projects call for using exotic wood which I obtain from local suppliers. I then age the wood; seasoning it until it is stable or nicely spalted, which may take a few years. It then goes to the band saw for roughing into the basic shape for my particular project. After that it is mounted on the lathe where I shape it into the object I have in mind. Some of my projects have been inspired by other artists, and some of them are my original ideas. I usually spend at least two hours a day turning wood, or experimenting with different techniques for developing finishes. I use an assortment of commercially available finishes and some that I have developed myself. I sometimes incorporate various shapes of found glass and metal into some of my turned pieces.
