GREG GALLEGOS
I am the artist behind pieces that merge the skill of woodturning with elegance, form and artistry. My passion was born in high school wood shop class and since then I’ve been turning and creating art for over 20 years. Everyday I push myself to create new pieces that evoke feeling and display the true beauty of wood. I am known for using a lot of local, reclaimed wood and using every piece to his advantage. I often use the natural imperfections of the wood as a focal point and love to play with the movement of wood. Keeping to the tradition of woodturning, I have a new and fresh take on it, giving life to new ideas and impeccable designs. I have been an active member of the AAW since 2009 and I am an active participant in many other woodturning groups and galleries. I continue to teach, demonstrate, participate in retreats and display my one-of-a-kind work. Woodturning is not something new but what sets me apart from the others is my take, my approach and my creativity with what I create. I take local, reclaimed hardwoods and turn them into beautiful pieces of art. I use exotic woods and burl as well. I love taking wood that would be seen by others as no good and turn it into something breathtaking that you wouldn’t think otherwise. I love playing with different embellishment styles, painting, bleaching and carving wood. I love getting ideas for different pieces and trying different techniques. I have a very distinct style and you can tell my work apart from others. My pieces may vary in shape, size, embellishment etc. but they all can be recognized as my work. Every day I am proud to create art that moves people, excites them and I’m proud to be a part of the woodturning community. I love seeing movement in the wood and how it will form and shape what I am working on. I started using a microwave for drying techniques and aligning the grain a certain way to create movement in the wood where as many do not want it there. I work with the natural imperfections of the wood, incorporating it into my designs. I am always pushing the boundaries to create unique and one of a kind textured or embellished pieces. I have been featured in many publications, teaching woodturning classes and do a number of workshops and retreats with other fellow woodturners. I am an active member of the AAW, American Association of Woodturners and Collectors of Wood Art non-profit organization. I am always pushing himself to create art that inspires and evokes feeling in someone. Everything I turn is to completion and every piece is one of a kind.
Demonstration Topics
Turning Wooden Pots with Color
In this demo you will learn how to align the grain in the blank a number of ways that will determine the final shape of the form. Sanding and then drying the piece in one sitting will help you achieve optimal wood movement. Finally, we will cover choosing and experimenting with colors that will contrast with the wood color and grain.
Podlet Demonstration
In this demonstration, I will take you from start to finish on how to create a podlet. We will focus on skill building, practicing tool control and proper body position. Starting with materials needed, wood selection and grain alignment. Then moving on to the step-by-step instructions on how to turn the very delicate top and stem, as we move to turn the base. Since we are turning very wet wood to be very thin, gauging the wall thickness plays a key role in how the podlet turns out. I will teach the cuts I use to achieve the thinness and the flowing curve that creates the podlet. Lastly, we will move on to sanding and the finishing of the podlet.
Embellishments & Finishing Demonstration
In this step-by-step demonstration, I will walk you through the techniques I use for decoration and embellishments. I will talk about the kinds of paint, oil, and finishes I use for achieving certain looks. Many pieces that I do have a combination of such i.e., burning, dye, bleaching, sanding, soaking in solution, patterns, blending and layered coloring. I will show you how I do a variety of the textured surfaces you see on many of my pieces and what tools I use to achieve these looks.
