RAF STRUDLEY
I retired after spending 38 years as a teacher, counselor and school principal in Los Gatos. I then worked as an educational consultant for four years working for the International Baccalaureate Organization and the Center for British Teachers. When my chapter in education came to an end, I turned my attention to working on a lathe! Ever since, I have been turning vessels, bowls, platter and even some bracelets.
I was first inspired, in part, by the artistry of my good friend, ceramicist, Steve Hum. I loved his work, and wanted to try my hand at making similar types of art using wood as my medium as opposed to clay. Several years ago a Santa Cruz County Open Studios event led me to my eventual mentor and wood turning friend Chuc Nowark. Since that time with his guidance I have worked hard to develop my craft.
I get extreme enjoyment in transforming raw wood into an object that is beautiful and useful. My approach is rather intuitive, and often the end result is different than what I had originally envisioned. My preference is to use local sustainably harvested wood such as cypress, black acacia and redwood. Recently, I have added inlays, such as turquoise and metal, to enhance the overall beauty of a piece. As I encounter natural anomalies in the wood, which some may consider imperfections, my response is to acknowledge them as part of the inherent quality of the wood and include them as a complement to the finished piece.
