Neil Turner - Woodturning - Woodwork Artist

Woodturner Neil Turner has been turning and sculpting wood for over 32 years, attending workshops whenever possible to improve his technique and sharpen his focus and skills. Neil Turner is influenced by the harmonies of nature from the ripples in the sand left by the wind to the swirling flames of fire.

Neil Turner - Artist Biography

Neil Turner now resides on a 10 acre wooded block at Stratham 11 kilometers south of Bunbury. The years spent on his wheat and sheep farm 180 km east of Perth in Western Australia provided the opportunity to use wood normally overlooked and neglected by other woodworkers. His early years were spent juggling work and family with occasional woodturning. Neil Turner has been turning and sculpting wood for over 32 years, attending workshops whenever possible to improve his technique and sharpen his focus and skills. He has in recent years studied and completed a Diploma of Fine Furniture at The Australian School of Wood in Dwellingup.

Neil Turner - Artist Statement

"My rural environment greatly influenced me, as I was able to observe the wind, fire and water impact the land. My intention is to incorporate these aspects into work that has a free, expressive and organic appearance while using carving and turning techniques to achieve a purity of form. Wood a living breathing organism that captures my imagination. The opportunity to express thoughts and ideas in a tangible creation that continues to react within it's environment. To design and create in wood poses many challenges both in structure and integrity but the pleasure I derive from my work is simple, a joy and passion to create pieces of work that I like." b. 1958, Narrogin, Australia

Education

• 1992/94    Woodturning Workshop with Stephan Hughes, Bunbury
• 1993    Woodturning Workshop with Vic Wood, Bunbury
• 1999    Woodturning Workshop with John Jordan, Dwellingup
• 2000    Woodturning Workshop with Graham Priddle, Dwellingup
• 2000    Woodturning Workshop with Gordon Ward, Dwellingup
• 2003    Designing Futures Workshop with Louise Hibbit, Dwellingup, Sarah Parker, Hayley Smith & Todd Hoyer
• 2003    Designing Futures Workshop with Stephen Hogbin, Perth
• 2005    Creative Workshop Advanced Embellishment with Dwellingup Monique Tippet
• 2007/9/11    Invitation Collaborative Workshop Bowral
• 2009/10    Invitation Collaborative Workshop, Bunbury
• 2009/11    Invitation Goongarrie Station Workshop, Kalgoorlie
• 2010-11    Diploma of Fine Furniture Dwellingup
• 2011    Turnfest Demonstrator, Sea World Resort, Queensland
• 2013    International Turning Exchange, Residency The Center for Art in Wood Philadelphia

Selected Exhibitions

• 1999-04    Australian Woodturning Exhibition, Nunawading, Victoria, Australia
• 2000/01/02    Perth Royal Show - Eastern District Display. Claremont, Western Australia
• 2002-08/10    Out of The Woods, Claremont Showgrounds, Perth, Australia
• 2005    Scintillating, Armadale City Redevelopment Authority, Armadale, Western Australia.
• 2005/08/11    Collectors of Wood Art Symposium, Philadelphia, USA
• 2005/08-9    Turned Wood - Small Treasures, del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
• 2005-06    Woodworks, Meatmarket Art Centre, Melbourne, Australia
• 2005-08/11    SOFA (Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art Exposition) Chicago, IL
• 2005-08    SOFA (Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art Exposition) New York, NY
• 2006/09    Turned & Sculptured Wood, del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
• 2006    ART Scottsdale, WestWorld, Art & Antiques, Scottsdale, AZ
• 2006    Selected Works, del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
• 2007    Sculpture 2007 - The Shape of Things, Bungendore Wood Works Gallery, Bungendore, NSW, Australia
• 2007    Pacific Connections, Del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
• 2009    On Fire, Mundaring Arts Centre, Mundaring, Australia
• 2009/10    Coast to Coast, Bunbury Regional Art Gallery, Bunbury, Australia
• 2009    Spirit of Timber - 'Objects of Desire', Artgeo Gallery, Busselton, Australia
• 2011    Mid West Art Prize, Geraldton Regional Art Gallery, Geraldton, Australia
• 2011    "Signature SouthWest" ArtGeo Gallery, Busselton, Australia
• 2011    Pi to Pentagon, Collaboration with Harvey Fein, SOFA Chicago Chicago, IL
• 2012/13    South Western Times Survey, Bunbury Regional Art Gallery Bunbury, Australia
• 2012    SOFA Chicago, "Thunder Down Under" Chicago, IL
• 2012    "Neil Turner Unfolding", South West Showcase, Bunbury Regional Art Galleries Bunbury, Australia
• 2012    Robyn Wood’s CORES Recycled, The Center For Art in Wood Philadelphia, PA
• 2012    Crafthaus (online exhibition). "Crafting this Antipodean Place"
• 2012-16    Art Palm Beach Miami, FL
• 2013    "Harmony" Professional Outreach Programme (POP), American Association of Woodturners. Gallery of Wood Art St Paul, Minnesota
• 2013    "Currents" American Association of Woodturners Symposium Invitational exhibition Tampa, FL
• 2015    "Coalesce" Solo exhibition, Linton and Kay Galleries Perth, Australia
• 2015    AtGeo Exhibition, ArtGeo Gallery, Busselton. Western Australia
• 2015    City of Kalgoorlie Art Prize, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
• 2015    "Patterns" Professional Outreach Programme (POP), American Association of Wood turners, Gallery of Wood Art, Pittsburgh, PA
• 2015    Perth College 31^st Annual Exhibition, Mount Lawley, Western Australia

Selected Publications

• 2004    Australian Wood Review, Edition 43, 44 The West Australian newspaper, Habitat, December 500 Wood Bowls, Lark Books, Sterling Press, Ashville, NC
• 2005    "Turning Downunder", American Woodturner Magazine, Winter
• 2006    Insite Homes, Autumn Edition. Western Australia.
• 2006    Instyle Interiors, Edition 3. Western Australia.
• 2006/07    Insite Homes, Summer Edition. Western Australia.
• 2007    Capital, Edition 26, Canberra. Australia
• 2010    Creative Wood New Zealand, March Edition 96. New Zealand.
• 2011    Rockler Woodworking and Hardware, March Catalogue. Medina, MN

Selected Collections

• Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh PA
• Armadale Redevelopment Authority Collection, City of Armadale Collection
• Shire of Capel Art Collection
• Norton Rockler Collection, Medina, Minnesota. USA
• City of Bunbury Art Collection
• Government House, Canberra
• Numerous International Private Collections (USA, UK and Japan)

Grants, Articles & Demonstrations

• 2013    Artflight Grant (Department of Culture and the Arts WA) - International Turning Exchange
• 2013    Artist Profile in UK Woodturning Magazine, UK Wood Carving, Crafts Arts International Issue 87
• 2012-15    Professionally writes articles for American Assoc. for Woodturning, UK Woodturning and Australian Wood Review
• 2011/12/15/16   Turnfest Demonstrator, Sea World Resort, Queensland
• 2013/15    Demonstrator at American Assoc. of Woodturning Symposium
• 2015    Demonstrator at Utah Woodturning Symposium
• 2013/15    Professional Demonstrations throughout USA