"Rings"

Started out in Memphis Tn on a visit to my uncle in the 70's, he gave me a book, "The Art of Turning" by Peter Child, with that, an old Craftsman lathe and some of the early carbide turning tools from Sorby, my passion for turning began. Turned candlestands and table legs but couldn't quite get the hang of hollow forms or bowls. Wound up working with a guy. who decided to take a risk and teach me, Marvin Ewing turned me o to turning in a big way. He was in the Louisville Area Woodturners, so those guys took me in. Many excellent turners passed through there over the years, Jordan, Elsworth, Foster, And Wolf. Chris Ramsey and Robin Costello were members also along with Jamie Donaldson, plus many of our other members who are quite good. All info and techniques were readily shared, be like a sponge and absorb it all. Joined the AAW and looked into the bigger world of turning, saw more and learned. Juried into several guilds and saw new techniques, all is so easily shared with others. Along the way became more and more part of our local club and became president of LAW, about this time AAW had the national convention in Louisville, and the local club lends a hand, also about this time a gentleman we now call Papa Herm opened up a web site named MyFamily, a woodturning site that spread around the world like fire. Thank you Herm and all the others that served as administrators. We had a WOWIE meet and greet with dinner in Louisville that year, had a blast myself. All of the machines, wood, turners from around the world. Had to minimize my turning as I took a job that required almost all of my time, still turned some but not as much as I wanted, but that has now changed as retirement is around the corner. I favor hollow forms, natural edge pieces, I like the natural woods, but playing with dyes also.

- Buddy Riley