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Artist Statement

The purpose of my work is to highlight the
natural beauty of the wood. The majority of my
pieces are meant to hold nothing more than
your attention. I am always looking for material
and use mostly local trees which have died or
been removed for building. I cut each piece of
wood to capture the natural beauty.

Each piece is turned on a lathe. As much work
is done on the lathe as possible, although
handwork is necessary in the final finishing.

My vessels are purely visual celebrations of
color and form. I accent the figure in the wood
to draw attention to what nature has produced.
A natural imperfection can provide visual
interest and texture. I am now adding color to
highlight the grain and figure of the wood. I use
water based aniline dye to color the pieces, the
dye is applied and then partly removed and the
process is repeated until the desired color
combination is achieved. The finish is multiple
coats of high gloss urethane varnish.

The pieces are visualized in my mind after
studying the piece of wood and from years of
experience working with it. However, I have to
be flexible. As the piece develops the shape
may change to highlight hidden beauty within
the wood which was not revealed until the
turning process began.

Crane Woodworks

Dwight Crane Artist

natural edge ash vessel with bark

multi color maple vase

natural edge ash bowl with bark

I am a retired police officer and have been woodturning
for fifteen years and participating in art shows for ten
years. I have taken classes at Arrowmont School for the
Arts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Woodcraft Supply in
Provo, Utah. I have also attended seminars in Colorado,
Illinois and Missouri.

My pieces are in several galleries in Illinois, Indiana,
Missouri and California including the Southern Illinois
Artisans Gallery in Rend Lake, Illinois, The Sycamore
Gallery in Goshen, Indiana, and The Sherwood Gallery in
Laguna Beach, California.

I was one of fifty five artists chosen to be included in a
publication called Made in Illinois an Artist Gallery put out
by the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and
Community Affairs.

I have also received several awards at the art shows I
have attended including 2006 Award of Excellence at the
Mosaic Art Festival in St Charles, Missouri, 2006 Judges
Choice Award at the Leeper Park Art Fair in South Bend,
Indiana, Best of Wood at the Cedarhurst Art and Craft Fair
in Mt Vernon, Il, and awards at Woodstock Art Fair in
Woodstock, Illinois, Dixon Art Fair in Dixon, Illinois,
Waterstone Art Fair in Gurnee, Illinois and Winona Lake
Fine Art Fair in Winona Lake, Indiana

I love woodturning and am very happy when other people
love and appreciate my work.

Crane Woodworks

Dwight Crane Artist

Biography

click on iimage to enlarge

natural cedar bowl

glorious shining red globe