Mark McNamara,
Wood Artist

I was inspired to start wood turning by a friend of my cousin’s. I started with an old craftsman lathe I bought for $75 dollars and was immediately hooked. I’ve upgraded since and have enjoyed learning this craft both through error and through an amazing community of woodworkers here in the Pacific Northwest. My hope is to put on display the striking beauty just underneath the surface of these amazing organisms that we encounter every day. 

We are so lucky to have countless species here to work with. All of my wood is sustainably foraged, most of it from the Willamette and Columbia River valleys and includes maple, oak, cherry, black walnut, black locust, apple and birch.

My “shop” is a humble garage in Gaston OR. It’s a cramped and inefficient space, but works well enough. A chef doesn’t need a large kitchen to create works of art; just the right tools and room to work.