Live-edge turnings

Cherry live-edge bowl, 3" tall, $60

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, and I’ve been doing a lot of turning this summer. My work is on display and for sale at the Historic Arkansas Museum Store in Little Rock. If you haven’t visited the Arkansas Heritage exhibits, I highly recommend it. The historic buildings and displays are fun and educational to visit, and the museum store is filled with a variety of handmade gift items from Arkansas artists. Check the website at arkansasheritage.com for all they have to offer if you’re visiting downtown Little Rock.

Pecan vessel with bark, 8 5/8" tall, $75

Using bark as a feature of a turned piece is a popular technique. Called live-edge or natural-edged pieces, they’re a bit tricky to make without breaking off the bark. Some care should be taken when owning such a piece; the bark edge (especially on the bowls) is delicate and can be broken off. The good news is, even if the bark breaks, it leaves behind a smooth and interesting edge that is still aesthetically appealing. One of my wife’s favorite pieces is a natural-edge bowl without the bark (the hackberry natural edge bowl pictured on the bowls page).

Small oak vessel with bark, 3 1/4" tall, $45

Welcome to John Wilkins Woodturning.

Welcome to my site. I’ve been working with wood since I was quite young, and I especially enjoy turning on my Oneway lathe. I plan to add posts with wood turning tips and pointers I’ve learned along the way, so I hope you’ll check back frequently for information or to see my latest work.

Feel free to browse my pages, where all the items you’ll see are for sale (unless they’re marked sold). For information about sizes and pricing, contact me by email. I also take custom orders. I’ll be expanding my pages within the next few days with more photos and details, so please visit again soon.