About Whispered Images

Whispered Images is about having fun making interesting things based on the natural beauty of wood.  Why wood?  Because I have loved working with wood since my father introduced me to woodworking when I was maybe fifteen growing up on a farm in East Tennessee.  He bought a used lathe with basic tools and accessories.  We didn't have any training in turning wood.  My father learned some of the basics and taught my brother and me.

WorkshopUp to that point my interest in wood was mainly whittling with my trusty pocket knife.  I never made anything fancy, but loved the way it felt carving on pieces of found wood.  But, then there was this lathe thing.  You put two teenage boys in front of something like that and soon we were turning all manner of billy clubs, goblets and bowls.  Remarkably we quickly picked up some interesting ideas like burnishing the piece with shavings and applying finishes while the piece was turning on the lathe.  We even competed to see who could make the most captured rings on a goblet stem.  I don't remember what the number was, but my brother won.  Maybe those fine motor skills contributed to his dental practice.

Paul Proffitt with Willard Baxter Woodturning Studio Tree of LifeAfter thirty plus years of occasional woodworking I suggested to my wife that we attend a Gwinnett Woodworkers Association meeeting one Saturday.  We both found it interesting and a pleasent diversion from our normal routine.  So we joined early in 2003 and are still members.  I've learned a lot from attending the classes and teaching a few.  I enjoy woodturning because you can quickly go from start to finish quickly with most projects.  I enjoy the challenge of working with unique colors and grain patterns discovered in the wood.  It is also very rewarding to see the excitement on someone's face when they receive something I've made.

Having fun working with wood is what led me to producing and selling pieces rather than just making them and giving them away.  The name Whispered Images came to me one day as I was contemplating the beauty of things found in nature.  I enjoy making things that gradually reflect their charm as they are appreciated over time.  I hope that if we make something for you it will be a treasure you or the person you give it to will hold onto and appreciate for a long time to come.

 

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Gwinnett Woodworkers Association
Member since 2003
Past President (2005-2006)
Webmaster
American Association of Woodturners
Member since 2006
Chattahoochee Woodturners
Member since 2007
Webmaster