Contact and web addresses

Email wc@woodbywarren.com/ www.woodbywarren.htm / www.artscomp.com

in PDF click here

Classes and Demos

Warren's "Hands On Sessions"

Warren's "Demonstrations"

Artist Statement:

Woodworking has always been a part of my life, but what else would you expect from a Carpenter?  I have been a homebuilder since the mid 70’s and built furniture and sculpted in wood in my spare time.  Since 1999, my passion has been turning wood.  With a creative eye and an ever-expanding knowledge of wood, I am always watching for those special trees or parts of trees that may someday become a unique turning. There are few things better than finding a burl and figuring out the best way to turn it into one or more pieces of artwork.  Beyond creating "normal or natural" bowls, I enjoy experimenting with new shapes and forms to help me release the natural or not so natural beauty of a piece of wood. The final step in the creation process is the finish that will protect and enhance the wood without making a statement of it’s own.  A finely finished turning,
shows all the beauty of the wood, in a shape that is pleasant to the both sight and feel.

Description of Work:

My wood creations are primarily turned objects.  The challenge of finding the beauty and uniqueness in a piece of wood, especially a burl or crotch of a tree, drives me to turn.  I have experimented with cutting and laminations. I have developed a technique of inserting walnut shell slices into imperfections in bowls.  Some people think that I am “nuts” when they see my wal”nut” burl forms turned completely out of walnut shells.  My wine stoppers sell best, because of their unique appearance and price point.

Bio:

General:

• Married to Adelaide with 2 children Hayley and Aubrey
• 1975 Graduate of Clemson University, College of Architecture

Business: 

• 1975 to 1979 New South Builders - Owner, Carpenter, Supervisor, etc.
• 1979 to 1985 Central Contracting Corp. - Designer, Supervisor, Job Coordinator, Estimator.
• 1985 to Present   President/Founder Carpenter Built, Inc. a custom homebuilder in the Seneca-Clemson area.
• 2003 to Present   Owner of The Arts Company, An American Craft Gallery in Seneca, SC

Professional Activities: Home Builders Association (HBA)

• HBA of Oconee                  
• President 1989 - 1990
• Board of Directors 1986 to 2002
• Since 1991, have received the Builder of the Year award 3 times
• HBA of South Carolina       
• President 1995
• State Legislative Chair 1992,1993,1994,1996
• State Membership Chair 1991
• State Director from 1989 - Life Director

Awards:

• 2004 Inducted into the South Carolina Housing Hall of Fame, for lasting contributions made to housing in SC.
• 2004 Receive the Order of the Palmetto, Highest award presented to a citizen in South Carolina.

Shows and Awards as a Sculptor:

• 1975 Honorable Mention Guild of South Carolina Artists.  "Aging Woman" sculpture purchased by the South Carolina Art Commission as part of the State Collection.
• 1975 Sculpture exhibited in the Southeastern Painting and Sculpture Competition in Winston-Salem, NC.
• 1976 Sculpture exhibited in the Spring Exhibition sponsored by the Greenville Artist Guild.

Awards, Shows, and Exhibits as a Woodturner:

• Southern Highland Craft Guild, Juried Entry February 2003
• Carolina Foothills Artisan Center, Chesnee, Juried Entry September 2000
• South Carolina Artisan Center, Walterboro, Juried Entry October 2000
• North Charleston Arts Festival (Juried Entry) May 2001
• Highland Hardware Juried Exhibit of Turned Objects, August 2001
• South Carolina Palmetto Hands Traveling Craft Exhibition, 2001 - 2002
• Blue Ridge Arts Council, Juried Show 2002 - 2009
• Blue Ridge Arts Council, Juried Show 2004, Merit Award
• Anderson County Arts Center, Annual Juried Show, 2002 - 2008
• Anderson County Arts Center, Annual Juried Show 2004 & 2007 Merit Award
• Pickens County Museum Juried Show 2002 – 2009
• Pickens County Museum Juried Show 2009 – Second Place in Show, Purchase Award
• Spring Jubilee, Pendleton, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007
• One-man show - Fran Hansen Discovery Center, Clemson, May - June 2002 & November – December 2007
• Art in the Park, Greenville, SC, 2002, 2003
• Anderson County Arts Center, Earth Wood & Fire Show, Oct – Nov 2005
• Rural Roots: Appalachian Woodworks – Transylvania County Arts Council - June 2005
• Pickens County Museum, Drawing with Wood, Nov 2006 - Feb 2007
• Anderson County Arts Center, Fine Craft Exhibit, Nov – Dec 2007
• Blue Ridge Arts Council, Wood Works Show, Nov – Jan 2006

Galleries:

• The Arts Company, Seneca, SC
• South Carolina Artisan Center, Walterboro
• Carolina Foothills Artisan Center, Chesnee
• Mountain Made, Pendleton, SC
• Southern Highland Guild Crafts Shops:
• Allenstand, Asheville, NC
• Arrowcraft, Gatlinburg, TN
• Guild Craft, Ashville, NC
• Cumberland Craft, Middlesboro, KY
• Parkway Craft Center, Blowing Rock, NC
• Fran Hanson Discovery Center, Clemson
• Artisan, Knoxville, TN
• Miya Gallery, Weaverville, NC
• Pickens County Museum, Pickens, SC
• Soque, Clarkesville, GA
• Red Wolf Gallery, Brevard, NC

Memberships:

• American Association of Woodturners
• Carolina Mountain Woodturners
• Mountain Laurel Woodturners
• HBA of Oconee, SC HBA, NAHB
• Blue Ridge Arts Council
• The Art Center, Clemson
• Downtown Seneca Merchants Association

Formal Training:

Arrowmont School of Arts & Craft:

• 2002 – Christian Burchard
• 2003 – Michael Lee
• 2004 – David Ellsworth
• 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 – Assisted Joe Ruminski
• 2005 – Assisted Johannes Michelsen
• 2006 – Assisted Michael Werner

Teaching:

• 2004 –2005 (5 Classes) Hands On for Carolina Mountain Woodturners – Bowl Turning
• 2005 Two day coarse to Cherokee Creek Boys School, Spindle and Bowl Turning
• 2005 - 2009 Six day coarse for OLLI at Clemson University, Lifelong Learning, Bowl and Spindle turning
• 2005 Hands On Classes at NC Woodturning Show and Competition, Using Bowl Gouge.
• 2006, 2008, 2009 Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Basic Bowl Turning

Demonstrations:

• Feb 2005 & Jan 2008 – Carolina Mountain Woodturners
• August 2005 – Woodturners Guild of NC
• October 2005 - NC Woodturning Show and Competition
• February 2007 – Pickens County Museum
• March 2007 – Palmetto Woodturners
• March 2008 – Mountain Laurel Woodturners

Volunteer Activities:

• Carolina Mountain Woodturners, President 2004-2006, Treasurer 2001-03, 2007-08

Created CMW’s – “TLC” - Turning Learning Center

• Trustee – CMW Education Endowment
• Served on the OMH Foundation Board as Treasurer 2003 to 2006
• Created the “Tree of Life” – Cottingham House (Hospice), Seneca 2007
• Blue Ridge Arts Council, Board 2004-present, President 2008-present
• Founded and Chaired POP Open Studio Tour, 2008-09
• Downtown Seneca Merchants Association, President 2004-2008
• 2004 Created “Downtown Go Round” for Historic Downtown Seneca
• Teaches woodturning through OLLI of Clemson University
• Teaches woodturning at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN

Upcoming Dates for Warren

March 27,  Demo at Tri Cities Woodturners, Johnson City, Tenn. 
March 28, Hands On at Tri Cities Woodturners
March 31, Artist on the Green at Ravenel Elementary School, Seneca, SC
April 3 Demo Palmetto Woodturners, Columbia, SC 
April 24-25, POP Open Studio Tour. Warren's studio will be open. 
April 30 to May 7, At John C. Campbell Folk School assisting Joe Ruminski 
May 28 - 29 Arts On the Alley, Seneca, SC 
June 18 - 20 American Association of Woodturners Symposium in Hartford, Conn. 
July 17 - 18 Summer Colors, Highland's Art League, Highland NC
September 17 -19 Turning Southern Style Symposium, Helen, GA 
Oct 14 - 16 Demo at Folk Art Center, Asheville, NC 
October 21-24 Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, Asheville, NC