Alan Martin has been a Wisconsin resident for over 40 years, deeply immersed in the changing seasons and their impact on local wood species. He finds inspiration in the natural life cycle of trees, observing how they age and transform. When he encounters storm-damaged wood or fallen trees, he views these materials as both a challenge and a source of artistic inspiration. Alan's work seeks to revitalize these elements of nature, transforming them into compelling pieces of art that reflect the resilience and beauty of the natural world.
How did you get into working with wood? Growing up, my grandfather was a woodworker and shared his knowledge with me. Crafting something artistic from a simple piece of wood brought me joy and excitement. What inspires your creations? An artist I discovered online inspired me to use a chainsaw to carve the bowls and creations I make. I was particularly struck by how he captured the natural beauty of the wood by simply removing decayed and organic material. I also choose to use crushed turquoise to fill the natural cracks, holes, and insect pathways in my wood products. This accentuates the natural beauty of the grain and contour of my creations and bowls.
What would you tell your younger self starting out on your artistic journey? I would tell my younger self to choose Cherry burls, black walnut crotches, and boxelder as preferred wood species due to their unique grain patterns. I never know what a bowl or creation will look like until the final hand-rubbed coat of food-safe finish is applied.
Martin uses crushed turquoise to fill the natural cracks, holes, and insect pathways in his wood products, accentuating the natural beauty of the grain and contour of his creations and bowls.
These bowls are not turned, they are hand carved. They are not round and uniform, but shaped to highlight the natural growth features of each individual piece of wood.
Martin's tool of choice is the Contour Sander.
Martin creates his unique handmade wooden bowls at his studio in Blanchardville, Wi.
Using woodworking talents together with the natural beauty of hardwood trees, Martin combines these with the use of a chainsaw to carve pieces of art.
What is your favorite Arbortech tool and why?
I use high-quality Arbortech tools to remove the interior of the wood as efficiently as possible. My favorite tool is the Arbortech Contour Sander. Due to the rough cutting and shaping tools I use to form the bowl or creation, the finished product requires hours of sanding. The Contour Sander removes all the scratches and gives the wood a flawless, natural surface. Watching the grains emerge as I sand always brings me joy!
If you were a type of wood, what would you be and why?
If I were a piece of wood, I would choose to be a Cherry burl. It provides insects and small animals with a place to live and store food, and its hidden beauty is breathtaking.
To learn more about Alan Martin, follow the links below.