Beauty in the Desert: An Arizona Wood Turner
What word comes to mind on hearing someone mention, Arizona? Hot? Dry? Cactus? Scorpions? Those are a few of the most common associations and while there is absolutely some truth to those, there’s so much more to the state. It’s a beautiful oasis. It’s stunning red rock formations, breathtaking mountain summits, and lush forests among other things. You have to know where to look.
Today, I want to take you to Thatcher, AZ. It’s located in Southeastern Arizona about 170 miles south of Phoenix. After passing through innumerable small towns on the drive from Phoenix, you come around a bend to an incredible view.
Once you reach Mt. Graham, you know you’re nearing Thatcher & its neighbor city, Safford. Between the two, they have a population of under 15,000. It’s here though that we’re coming to visit someone special; an artisan, Devin Skinner.
Devin has unique hobby that enables him “to build the Disneyland” fund and give meaningful gifts to his family. He’s a wood turner, and frankly he’s quite an incredible one. It’s a skill that goes hand in hand with a lifetime of exploring Arizona’s deserts and forests.
Over the years, Devin has been perfecting his craft of creating intricate turquoise and copper inlay designs set into mesquite, eucalyptus, oak, sycamore, and even cholla cactus bowls. The resulting pieces are stunning.
Finding the beauty in Arizona isn’t always easy, but we were confident we had found something amazing when we sat down and talked with Devin. He walked us through his process, how he approaches a new piece, and how he got started. We want to share it with you.
See Devin’s pieces on ArtisanMarket.com
