BACKSTREET GALLERY

Dave Carlson recently moved to Florence from Bend, Oregon. He and his wife retired to Bend from Alaska where Dave spent 40 years. He was raised near Chicago, Illinois and, after serving in the US Army (1968 — 1971) and earning a degree in Earth Science, he took a trip to Alaska and fell in love with the State and its magnificent beauty. He met his wife and raised his family on an island in Southeast Alaska. He began woodturning in the mid-90s and gradually migrated to the 'wood art' of Segmented Woodturning which is his primary focus.

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The Segmented Woodturning Process: Segmented Woodturning is a form of woodturning where pieces of wood are precisely cut and glued back together to form rings which are then stacked to form both the desired shape of the vessel and to create a desired pattern and art form. It requires exacting precision as well as patience. Individual segments are often measured to the thousandth of an inch and miter angles must be exact to avoid gaps between the segments. 'Feature Rings' are often incorporated into a piece and are the focal point in many of Dave's segmented art forms. Dave incorporates exotic woods from all over the world. Designs are limited only by the imagination. Dave has lived in and around mountains for the past 50 years and will often incorporate his signature 'Mountain' feature ring into a piece. The mountains are usually composed of exotic wood segments and provide interesting shapes, colors and contrasts.

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A variation of segmented woodturning is Open Segmented. This is different from conventional segmented woodturnings in that there is a precision 'open space' left between the segments. This allows for the development of some very interesting patterns. Again, exacting precision and patience is a requirement, but the end-product can be well worth the effort.