John H. Clarke learned the art of woodturning as a young man growing up in Billings, Montana. There in the basement of an apartment building the manager kept a lathe and taught him how to turn and polish wood. Later in life the constant care needed in running a ranch and raising four children with his wife Merry, left him little time to enjoy turning. Little did he know that it would take 45 years before he would have the chance to return to woodturning.

Now twelve years after retiring, the 82-year-old is working seven days a week in a shop next to his modest home in Irrigon, Oregon. Nestled just three blocks off Highway 730, surrounded by maple trees, roses and a stone throw from the Columbia River you will find The Turning Shop.

John turns from sun up to sun down to expose nature's beauty in remarkable vases, bowls and centerpieces. Whether it is the 200 year old Rocky Mountain Junper fence posts that lean against the shop, the century-old stump pulled from a neighbor's field, or the burls of every size, shape and type, he doesn't discriminate in his love of wood. Each piece is unique based on the characteristics of the particular piece of wood. Since no jigs or copy templates are ever used no two pieces will ever be identical. John signs and dates each individual piece and notes what type of wood it is made of.

He sells much of his work through craft fairs, bazaars and art shows where others find the same aesthetic pleasure in the variety of woods as he does. Occasionally on one of her many trips to the shop, Merry will find a new piece that she will want to admire for awhile. Lighted shelves in their home showcase some of their favorite pieces - bowls turned from Manzanita burls, Norfold Island Pine, Sumac, Elm and Spalted Beech.

Never afraid to try something new he inlays pieces with turquoise or pewter designs and his shop now holds pieces of soapstone and alabaster waiting to be turned. He has taken his business to the internet with the help of his daughter, Addie, and takes all of the digital pictures that appear on the site.

These turnings are a labor of love and we hope that you will enjoy seeing "Nature's Beauty Exposed" as you view our website.