Biography
Working as a builder and carpenter, woodturning was a craft I knew very little about before 2001. After some research, I was fortunate to find a woodturner in my nearest town — one of the finest turners in Ireland. Willie Stedmond, a founding member of the Irish Woodturners Guild, was giving night classes, and I attended several.
It is always my first advice to anyone interested in woodturning: take lessons and join a club. I did both, and along the way I met generous, talented people who helped and encouraged me enormously.
Over the years my turning has progressed through many areas of this wonderful craft. There were long periods when work and other commitments left little or no time for turning — but the draw was always there. The need to make shavings!
I am very proud of the recognition I have received from fellow turners and artists for my work, demonstrations, and award-winning pieces. It is also a great honour to have my work included in collections around the world.
When Mark Baker of GMC Woodturning magazine approached me to write for the publication, I was completely taken aback and initially declined. Thankfully, Mark persevered and offered his support. With his encouragement, I have since had many articles published.
More recently, with the rise of virtual woodturning, I have embraced delivering IRDs (Interactive Remote Demonstrations). I also host “Meet the Woodturner,” an online series where I interview artists from around the world, gaining fascinating insights into their woodturning lives and careers. Our global audience can engage directly with guests through live chat, making the world feel smaller and bringing the woodturning community together for evenings of shared learning and enjoyment.
https://www.patcarrollwoodturning.com/