Middle Tennessee Woodturning Association At Winell Lee Today

As Winell Lee celebrated 85 years of business Friday, woodturner John Lucas demonstrated artistry to the guests of the open house.

During the demonstrations, Lucas and his fellow Middle Tennessee Woodcarver’s Association members were able to connect, instructing guests on the basics of the craft. To get the best results, Lucas said you need to use sharp tools, mount the wood properly, and envision what you want to make. He said he recommends the art to anyone willing to learn, just so long as they learn proper methods from someone experienced.

“It has helped me tremendously to grow; when I moved to Cookeville I was working 50, 60 hours a week as a photographer at Tech and I didn’t have time to do regular woodworking,” Lucas said. “It took so long even to build a dresser, and so a friend of mine out at the Appalachian Center for Crafts taught me how to turn greenwood, which meant I could walk out into the woods, come out with a log and make a bowl.”

Lucas said he progressed his skills from there with practice and further guidance from the MTWA, now possessing the ability to make a great variety of crafts. He said that most people see woodturning as something only for making bowls and stair-posts, but he makes things people would never believe, like sculptures.

Lucas said he has now reached a point where he is comfortable to teach others and show his work with pride because he has invested so much into perfecting his craft. He said that much like Winell Lee’s story, any woodworking job takes commitment.

“You have to have passion about what you’re doing because it’s difficult to make a living as a woodworker,” Lucas said. “You have to work very hard, develop a lot of skills and learn lots of things, and if you have enough passion in it you’ll find a product you enjoy making and a market for that product.”

Lucas said if anyone wishes to learn more, they can always join the MTWA where they host lessons from qualified turners and help people get started.

“We have demos at each club meeting, so we help people learn and have a good time at this hobby, and do it safely,” Lucas said.