Creative Woodturning
Woodturning UK, Stuart Mortimer - UK - Showcase July 2003
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A WIDELY TRAVELLED TURNER
Being able to bring
Stuart Mortimer's work to the Creative Woodturning Showcase is a
great pleasure for me, and, being such a widely travelled turner, catching
him at home to discuss the showcase was a feat of greatness in
itself.
Prior to our last communication, Stuart had just returned from Iceland.
STUART MORTIMER - ARTIST IN WOOD
Stuart is a self
taught turner and winner of many National awards for his woodwork,
he has built up an International reputation in many areas of
turning, he is a writer, teacher, demonstrator, and consultant to
turners and turning groups throughout the U.K., Europe, Scandinavia,
the U.S.A. and Australia.
His work is hand crafted on and off a lathe using hand held
electrical powered tools as well as traditional carving tools. He
started spiral work in the mid 1980’s to decorate a wide range of
work from twisted miniature goblets, candle sticks, bowls, boxes,
hollow forms, artistic and other decorative works.
STRONG INTERNATIONAL FOLLOWING
Since the early 1990’s Stuart has built up a strong International
following for his individual works including spiral work, some say
to new levels. |
GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS
Major works are
often topped off and easily identified by a twisted finial that has
become a distinctive feature or trade-mark. He is the holder
of the World Record for the largest bowl turned in 1997 in the USA
authenticated and certified by the Guinness book of records. He also
uses other decorating techniques including burning, carving,
ebonising, and piercing. Stuart is always keen to push himself
into fresh areas of turning and has a reputation for introducing new
designs and ideas.
STUART MORTIMER - IN THE BEGINNING
Stuart Mortimer
lives in Hampshire, England with his wife Linda who gives
inspiration and is his strongest critic. He is a retired Police
Inspector who became a proficient hobby turner before his retirement
in 1989, he went on to win several National awards before starting
to write both at home and abroad. He is well known and admired in
International woodturning circles for his variety of work, fresh
ideas and spiral work, travelling widely in the countries previously
mentioned attending seminars and exhibitions as a sought after
teacher and demonstrator.
Stuart has an affinity with trees and their product and is
continually on the look out for the unusual piece of material, in
fact he admits to having scouts out there looking for him. Every and
every piece of Stuart's work is hand crafted with meticulous care
and finished to the highest degree for tactile and visual pleasure.
Photograph
courtesy of
WoodCentral |
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