ABOUT THE PROCESS

Steve Miller, master woodturner from Asheville NC, in his woodworking studio.
Giant woodworking lathe of fine art craftsman Steve Miller.
Steve Miller turning a wood vase on his lathe.
Large scale wood vessel being turned on a lathe by fine art woodworker Steve Miller in WNC.

TURNING

My pieces start with a block of wood or a log, and an idea that I develop with sketches on paper. The basic shape I want to create is formed by turning the wood on a lathe - carving away the wood until the external form is created.

The base form is then hollowed out with special tools that allow the unwanted wood to be slowly and methodically removed from the center of the form. The end result is a vessel or sculptural form.

Fine Craft wood turned bowls in process at the studio of Steve Miller.
Custom wood carving and burning bench of master woodworker Steve Miller.
Turned wood form with drawn lines laying out pattern to be carved into the surface. In process sculptural vessel by Steve Miller.
Detail photo of Steve Miller hand carving the surface of a sculptural wood vessel.

CARVING

After the basic form is created, I have a blank three dimensional canvas that I can transform with carving. Organic textures that are loosely based on those found in nature - both on land and under the sea - act as inspiration for the textures I carve into the external surface of my forms.

Electric and pneumatic wood carving tools, good light, and lots of patience are essential ingredients for this part of the process. Many of my first attempts at transforming wood ended up in my fireplace - a lot still do… It's my Quality Control Department!

Wood carving and wood burning equipment and tools in the studio of master woodworker Steve Miller.
Steve Miller carving holes into the ribbed surface of a sculptural wood vessel.
Detail photo of Steve Miller creating a textured surface on a handcrafted bowl with wood burning techniques.
Master craftsman Steve Miller using pyrography to texturize a turned wood vase.

BURNING

The application of controlled heat - pyrography - adds subtleties to the unique textures I create. Changes in texture and pattern - the softness or sharpness of edges and the degree of smoothness or roughness in the carved out areas - affect how the layers of paint interact with the surface of the form and how light moves across the surface of the form.

The painting studio of Steve Miller. Steve creates sculptural wooden vessels that he affect with thin layers of paint. This emphasizes their carved surface textures.
The first layer of color Steve Miller often applies to one of is carved vessels is back India Ink.
Sculptural vessels in the process of being painted. Vessels are by the fine craft wood artist Steve Miller of WNC.
Detail photo of the colored, textured surface of an award winning Steve Miller sculptural vessel made from turned and carved wood.

PAINTING

After I have textured a form, I apply layers of color to further evolve the unique presence of the piece. I start with a layer of black India ink which soaks into the form. Then acrylic paint is applied to bring the textures to life.

There are many layers, up to 20, of carefully applied paint. The layers are thin, and the colors play off each other, accentuating the look and the feel of the carved wood. 

Fine Art wood vase with irregular carved lip inspired by rock canyon walls. Master woodworking by Steve Miller of Black Mountain, NC.
Top view of a Steve Miller sculptural turned wood vessel. This blue anemone inspired form features spiral ribbing carved with a scalloped pattern.
Photo featuring the ceramic like surface of a Steve Miller fine art wood vase. The detailed patterning was inspired by rhythms found in nature.
This black and copper turned wood vase appears to have been made from clay. Steve Miller is well known for his ability to transform the wooden surface of his vessels with carved patterns, pyrography and many thin layers of paint.

PRESENTING

The final result is a form that has the warmth and touch-ability of wood, and the visual punch of a finely executed painting. When first seen, my pieces are often assumed to be made of clay, glass or stone.

Each wood turned vessel and sculpture is a unique accumulation of gouges, nicks and strokes particular to the piece of raw wood that I started with. No two finished pieces are identical, and each piece has the mark of distinction that occurs when time and concentration, respect for the material, and mastery of technique, come together to turn nature into art.

Portrait picture of Steve Miller carving a wooden vessel. Photo from feature article in Asheville Made.

ASHEVILLE MADE ~ Feature Article

There’s No Time Like The Present To Carve The Look Of Millennia

by Lauren Stepp photos by Colby Rabon