make both functional and decorative lathe-turned wooden bowls and traditional Japanese taiko drums.. The bowls range from very lightweight salad serving bowls to extremely thin translucent bowls, and large sculptural pieces up to 4 feet in diameter. Decoration is minimal, with emphasis on shape. I have lived in Japan, and that experience makes me favor straight-forward and graceful forms which relate to the use and character of the piece. I want the bowls to be a pleasure to use, so they have thin walls which make them very light in weight. The thicker rim provides strength, and creates a curved undercut on the inside of the bowl which feels secure when the bowl is held. The character of the drums is similar. They are made from one piece of white ash grown in New England, and the hides come from Texas. All design elements are derived from a centuries-old tradition. We aim to provide amateur and professional taiko groups with instruments which will look and sound as beautiful as drums from the great Japanese makers.

My one full-time employee, Bill Haines, and I are active in all phases of the process. We start with native trees, most of which we harvest and transport ourselves. Each bowl and drum is rough-turned from one piece of green wood, and then dried in a kiln which we designed and built. Careful drying over a period of 3-5 weeks enables me to guarantee that the bowls and drums will not crack. Later, each piece is turned again on one of several lathes (the largest of which weighs 6,500 pounds), before being sanded and oiled. Each coat of finish is individually polished to a satin sheen that can be enjoyed for generations.