Artist Statement
Every piece of wood has an image inside and it is my task as a wood sculptor to discover it. Making bowls from trees is the discovery of that internal shape, which has grown in the wood for years, waiting to see light. I find growth rings and activity that tell the story about the life and history of the forest and the tree itself. To make a bowl or a piece of art from the log extends the life of the tree for others to enjoy. Many of my bowls are turned from Black Walnut, Manzanita Burl, Madrone and Black Oak native to northern California’s Yuba River watershed, where I have lived since 1969. The land has nourished the tree whose wooden bowl nourishes us. I became interested in turning bowls after I inherited my father’s woodshop. My goal has been to study with some of the best bowl turners in the world. My shop is housed on our property in a historic building which was part of an old Nevada County-owned farm from the 1800s. My most recent work has been focused on the Norfolk Island Pine tree that originates in Hawaii. –Mike Snegg
Mike Snegg’s Studio, also home of Grass Roots Antique Tool Museum
2nd Place award at the Wild and Scenic Film Festival’s Juried Art Competition
David Ellsworth and Mike Snegg at David’s workshop in Quakertown, PA.