Wood turner: Gary Perkins

Gary Perkins was born in 1951 in Fremont, Ohio and graduated from Fremont's Ross High School and Terra Community College. He worked in engineering and nuclear power industries before fulfilling his dream of having his own business. Gary and his wife are owners of Davinci's Gallery and Coffee House.

Gary's love for wood began in "shop" class in high school. He turned his attention to the lathe and its artistic possibilities in 1983 and has since studied under such professional wood turners as Dale Nish, who is also noted author on the subject, Del Stubbs, and Rude Osolnick. Gary has nearly 140 hours of intense instructions from these master craftsmen and now teaches classes in his own workshop.

Gary has an eye for shape in his wood turned creations, and he especially likes to leave the bark or imperfections in his pieces. This makes each one truly one-of-a-kind. He turns practical items such as pens, letter openers, and bowls, but he's best known for his "weed pots", devotional goblets, and covered boxes. He has exhibited his works in various galleries and at the Crosby Gardens Arts Festival in Toledo, Ohio, and his pieces can be found in private collections across the United States, in England, and as far away as Australia.

The Design is in the tree;
The Wood turner only changes the shape.