I am passionate about woodturning, and I’m honored to be represented in Signature Gallery. I work in my shop in Monticello almost every day, and love to come up with new ideas for turned vessels. The majority of wood I use is collected from fallen local trees, including cherry, magnolia, camphor, oak, cypress, and dogwood. Some of the most common woods make beautiful bowls, vases and urns. Wood vessels are as old as history itself, and wood products are both beautiful and durable.
I do all my own work from cutting and processing the wood log to buffing out a smooth finish on a completed turning. My work has been recognized at regional and national symposiums for its aesthetics and unique finishes. I often use pyrography, air brush, metal foil and marbling as embellishments on my pieces. My work varies widely from children’s toys, to funeral urns. I turn many decorative and functional pieces like tree ornaments, jewelry boxes, platters, and pepper mills. For me, wood is both the medium and the pallet for exploring new ways to practice the craft and art of woodturning.
I’m both a wood artist and woodturning instructor. I currently teach workshops in Camelot’s Woodworking Studio at King Arthur’s Tools in Tallahassee. I’ve been turning since 2002, and was a student of John Penrod, Jimmy Clews and Nick Agar among others. I’m a member of The American Association of Woodturners and Tallahassee’s Chapter, North Florida Woodturners. I like to share what I have learned and have published over a dozen articles on woodturning in trade magazines. My website contains photos of my work and instructional videos I’ve produced. These can be viewed at waltwager.com. I enjoy learning and discovering new techniques that I can apply to my latest turnings.
