Creative Woodturning
Woodturning UK, Liz & Michael O'Donnell - U.K. - Showcase January 2003
|
 |
LIZ & MICHAEL O'DONNELL
Whilst working at Rolls Royce in
Derby, Michael was transferred with his work to Scotland, finally
leaving the job after four years but not the country he and wife Liz
had grown to love, they decided to stay put in their croft.
Mick spent his pension on a boat, taking visitors out on fishing
trips. One of his fishing friends had a woodturning lathe, invited
Mick to have a go and, the rest, as they say, is history. He
enrolled for evening classes, bought a Myford lathe and before long
was selling his work to the tourists who passed his croft on the
coast from John o' Groats.
TEAMWORK
Michael met Liz at college and from the start she was always an
integral part of the team, The geometric series, bird shapes and
hand colouring are the result of this collaboration, apart from
working with Mick on the turning and helping run the croft, Liz has
a full-time job teaching art in local primary schools.
EXPERIENCE
In 1981 Michael headed south, visiting turners whose work he had
admired - Ray Key, Jim Partridge, the Raffan brothers and David Pye
- an experience which fired him with enthusiasm for his new found
craft.
As a founder member of the
AWGB, he got together with fellow
woodturner Ray Key and organised the first Loughborough seminar with
visiting woodturners David Ellsworth and Ed Moulthrop.
Mick's experience gained in the engineering industry have stood him
in good stead, his O'Donnell jaws for the
Axminster chuck are to be found in
all the best |
workshops while his
well designed sharpening jig and the excellent
O'Donnell grinding wheels take the
drudgery and guesswork out of keeping tools sharp. Today Michael
divides his time between turning and teaching others the business of
turning, and living the life of a crofter. In 2003 along with his
normal schools and demonstrations Michael in holding a series of
schools in Germany. The text for the showcase was taken from Tony
Boase's book Woodturning Masterclass.
To find further examples of Michael O'Donnell's work click the links
below. |
|
