Kathleen Duncan: Woodturner
Bio: As a child, Kathleen was introduced to woodturning by her father. She was fascinated watching as chips flew off the spinning wood. It wasn’t until after his death that she first attempted to turn something on the lathe she’d inherited from him. Following her move to Ridgefield (WA) a few years later, she became a member of the two woodturning clubs in Portland. The clubs were a starting point for learning more about woodturning techniques and wood in general. Kathleen is currently a member of the Pacific Northwest Woodturning Guild, Cascade Woodturners, and the Southwest Washington Woodturners. In 2015, she was elected to a 3-year term on the American Association of Woodturners Board of Directors.
Artist’s Statement: “Many of the woods I use are from trees that have been cut down due to disease or construction. This is wood that would otherwise be burned or end up in a landfill. To me, it is exciting to find the hidden beauty in a chunk of wood. Even a very plain piece of wood offers design opportunities. With plain woods, I often enhance the wood by carving or burning. My carved and burned designs mimic textures and patterns found in nature.”
“Each piece I turn has to have a balance between touch, shape, proportion, and any embellishments I decide to include. I turn a variety of items – both functional and artistic. I have recently started turning very thin (2mm) bowls and piercing a design into them with a high speed dental drill”
“Much as I enjoy turning by myself, what gives me the greatest satisfaction is showing children the magic that we call woodturning.”
Kathleen has demonstrated woodturning at several venues including Art in the Pearl and the Vancouver Recycled Arts Festival. She participated in the 2014 and 2015 Clark County Open Studios Tour. Kathleen is a prolific contributor to the tables at all of the Pacific Northwest Woodturnering Guild’s regular appearances.