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Ray Rountree began woodturning in early 2004,
following Hurricane Isabel and his retirement from the shipyard in 2003. After 4 months of clearing storm-damaged trees on the family farm, he decided to salvage some of those trees and to try his hand at woodturning.

With no training in the Arts, Ray quickly became a student of the Trial and Error School. (Undoubtedly, his First Career in Sheet Metal Fabrication developed and honed his abilities for 3-bimensional-Perception, which have proved to be an enormous asset).

Ray now enjoys his new “second career” seven days a week, 6 to 10 hours a day!  Using salvaged trees primarily from the family farms, Ray uses only domestic woods, adding “finishing touches” to Mother Nature’s “canvases” already in progress. When considering how to begin each piece, he looks for the wood to dictate how best to “release” its best attributes.

Turning begins when he mounts a chunk-of-tree on his 900 lb. wood lathe, which turns the wood while he carves and shapes the block. Starting with the outside surface, he shapes the form while the wood turns. Then, following the line of the outside wall, the inside is hollowed out.

Because Ray usually turns “green” wood, weeks or months of drying time may follow the “rough turning” stage. Subsequently, he repeats the process, fine-tuning the form as he turns.

The finished work, he believes, should reveal the wood’s organic properties (critter holes and voids included).
Therefore, to reflect the wood’s inherent beauty, each piece is finished as naturally as possible.

Occasionally, a piece is embellished with Sculptural Elements, Metal or Stone Inlay, or Pyro-Engraving.
Working together, Ray and his wife, Martha, design an enhancement, not to hide the wood, but to add another level of interest to the work. Finally, before it is presented to the Public, each piece is reviewed, inspected, and inventoried by the CEO and Quality Control Department,
(read that as “Wife”).

Ray says his CEO requires exacting standards and attention to presentation; and, is constantly developing new designs, challenging him to “reach and stretch” in his work. He hopes Mother Nature is pleased to see her “canvases” finished and her work unveiled.

Since 2004, the Rountrees have been enjoying the local “Art Scene”, participating in exhibitions and shows at The Charles Taylor Art Center-Hampton, Suffolk Museum of Art, Rawls Museum Arts-Courtland, Contemporary Art Center-Virginia Beach, This Century Art Gallery-Williamsburg, Norfolk Academy Invitational Art Show/Sale, and Nansemond-Suffolk Academy Invitational Art Show/Sale.