Douglas’ background is extremely varied. “I thought my prospects growing up were to either work in a paper mill (which I did) or a grain elevator (which I also did).” As a young boy he remembers wanting to sail single handed around the world like Joshua Slocum so he joined the local sea cadet corps to learn how to sail. He went from there to teaching others how to sail and eventually was crew on several ocean going vessels including the famous yacht “Iolaire”, built in England in 1905, which he sailed from Venezuela to Ireland. Having done many jobs in the past the two that he remembers the most for how they transformed him as an individual are being a driller and blaster in several underground gold mines and being an ironworker (high rigger).
Since 1992 Douglas has been acting in the theatre and involved almost exclusively in creating other forms of art, including painting, stained glass, photography, pen and ink drawing, turning to woodturning only in 1997.
At a craft show where Douglas was selling his wood bowls, Canadian woodturner Frank Sudol happened along and told him that art was the way to go. How to go about it seemed daunting at the time but luckily during another show he met well known Pacific Northwest Coast native artist Harris Smith who was looking for a woodturner to collaborate with. Over the course of their seven years together they made thousands of pieces and Harris taught Douglas his style of art. “He was a friend and mentor and will always be missed.” One of their pieces is in the collection of The Vatican.
A lot of Douglas’ Pacific Northwest series incorporates the use of off axis turning. The idea was born out of a design problem which was how to utilize a basic element of native imagery, an offset circle within a larger circle, in his work. At first he used faceplates and would screw into different parts of the back which created the look he wanted on the front but caused another problem on the back. He then used large expandable jaws which worked for a time but did not offer enough flexibility. After trying a few other methods, a vacuum chuck turned out to be the answer for his style of work.
Each piece is conceived to its end before it is mounted on the lathe. The carving and textures are created using hand gouges, rotary tools and woodburning pens. “These days I can turn several ‘canvasses’ in a day and then spend weeks on the non-turned elements.” The rich deep colours are a result of layer upon layer of transparent dyes. “One really has to look to see all the various colours stacked and blended together in one of my pieces.”
Influences from the art world are many but Douglas has always liked the work of Monet, Seurat, Rodin and Bernini. “I had the opportunity to see several Seurats at the Musee d’Orsay in Paris and what fascinated me the most was not seeing his painting “The Circus” which was stunning, but seeing the working model beside it. To glimpse a portion of this creative process for me was worth the total price of admission.”
Several woodturners have influenced his work, most notably, David Ellsworth, Al Stirt, Jacques Vesery and Hayley Smith as well as furniture maker Kristina Madsen.
“I feel like a relative newcomer to woodturning even though I have been a career turner for twelve years now.”
Douglas is a member of the Vancouver Island Woodworkers Guild and the American Assoc. of Woodturners.
PROCESS
I usually use woods indigenous to Vancouver Island such as big leaf maple or cedar but on occasion like to use cherry, walnut or cocobolo. The logs are slabbed into flitches which then air dry on my property. Blanks are then cut from these on the bandsaw and mounted onto the lathe. Depending on the series I am working on these blanks can be turned, re-mounted and turned again from two to six times. When the turning comes off the lathe it is ready for carving which is done with various rotary tools and hand gouges. The time put into the carving process averages around 80% of the total time put into the piece. Applying lightfast wood dyes and acrylic for colouring is when the piece really starts to come alive. Building layer of colour upon layer of colour to create an old world, timeless quality is what I am out to achieve. Finally several coats of lacquer are applied which deepens the colour and adds even more depth.
Lathe where all the turning is done with a row of grinders behind for sharpening tools
Carving station with wood blanks underneath for future pieces.
Layout and dying areas with more wood blanks underneath.
Dyes and brushes.
A view towards the back staging room.
Turnings ready to be carved and finished pieces ready to be spray lacquered
Turning at the lathe.
