Poest Wood

Portland, Oregon

I salvage most of my wood from discarded local Portland trees. I take pride in working with the material from tree to finished piece. When approaching a tree for turning blanks, I seek out rare cuts of wood that highlight wood grain and figure, such as burl. Extracting obscure grain inspires me to combine natural beauty and function. 

I begin my process by using a chainsaw to obtain wood, then I rough cut the wood blanks into rounds with a bandsaw. Next I turn the wood on a lathe to shape the forms with various gouges, and afterward refine the surface with sandpaper. I conclude my process with the subtle tone of natural oil finish.

Each piece echoes the deep respect and appreciation I feel for the life of the tree from which it originated. When I’m behind the lathe, I focus on elegance of contour and proportion. I capture grain patterns while showcasing irregularities, natural voids and live edges. Through the ancient hand-craft of woodturning, I feel part of a vital purpose; perpetuating, highlighting and upholding the history of each piece of wood.