Artist Statements

For information or purchasing on any of these wood turnings contact: bignami@fineturning.com

Life is too short to turn ugly wood. So I specialize in burls and highly figured wood from the Northwest with a spice of tropical exotic wood from sustainable sources. When the best figure ends up in the shavings I add color, as I see wood as just one art material among others as turnings need not be basically brown

I started building harpsichords and clavichords , and had hands on turning training with Stuart Batty, Don Derry, Jim Christiansen and others. Seminars and classes with several dozen world-class turners followed as did success in several dozen juried shows including university galleries such as the Prichard at the University of Idaho.

Several decades as a travel writer specializing in art and culture effects my work with an Asian flavor spiced with a bit of Brancusi and a dash of Dali rather than that of other turners. My work’s appeared in galleries in Idaho and Oregon, in many juried shows, and in private collections in the USA, Germany, Japan, Mexico, France, etc. Honors include a best of show here in Florence last year. I write about turning for specialist publications, do commission work and teach woodturning.

Professional Organizations past or present include the American Arts Council, American Association of Woodturners, Author’s Guild, Society of Professional Journalists and a half-dozen others.

I come from a background as a full-time, award winning photojournalist with over 20 years experience. After professional training in professional photography, stained glass and weaving, I moved to wood turning 6 years ago.

Wood has always been in my life as my father was a cabinet maker and home builder. My two brothers also turn wood, specializing in segmented turning.

Years of daily turning plus individual instruction for two and half years from Jim Christiansen, a world-class turner in Moscow, Idaho helped me improve. Classes with British master Stuart Batty, colorist Donald Derry, Northwest turners Dave Schweitzer and Tone and repeat visits to wood turner’s symposium in Provo, Utah where well-known wood turners from all over the world gather each year to give demonstrations on wood turning, coloring, technique, design, etc. also helped improve my turning.

I turned on a Canadian Oneway lathe in our fully-equipped studio. My specialties include colored, dyed and epoxied art pieces, bowls, vessels and weedpot vases. My husband is also an award-winning turner. I am a member of the American Association of Woodturners.

My work has appeared in shows in Corvallis, Albany, Sun River, Yachats, Brookings, Florence, Coos Bay, Bandon and in California.

I feel the extra time and cost of top quality wood is worth the effort as classic designs show best in select burls and figured pieces and adding color enhances some designs as well.