David Ellsworth (born June 25, 1944 died 16 June 2025) was an American woodturner known for his tools and techniques for creating thin-walled hollow wood vessels. He began woodturning in 1958 and later earned both BFA and MFA degrees in sculpture from the University of Colorado, Boulder. His work is in the collections of over 40 museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. In recognition of his contributions to the field, he received the Smithsonian Visionary Award in 2021.[1]
Ellsworth was born in Iowa City, Iowa and moved to Boulder, Colorado at age 14. He first encountered woodturning there in 1958 during an eighth-grade industrial arts class, where he crafted a walnut platter for his mother.[2] After high school, he served in the U.S. Army, performing with the Army Air Defense Command Choir for two years and then was stationed for a year in Heidelberg, Germany.[3]
Post-military service, Ellsworth pursued studies in architecture at Washington University in St. Louis (1965–1966) and fine arts at the New School for Social Research in New York City (1966–1970). He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture in 1971 and a Master of Fine Arts in 1973 from the University of Colorado at Boulder. During his graduate studies, he explored various media, including ceramics, cast metals, and polyester resin, which informed his later approach to woodturning.[4]
Career and innovations
In 1974, Ellsworth was hired by ceramicist Paul Soldner to establish the woodworking program at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village, Colorado.[5] The following year, he opened his first private woodturning studio in Boulder, Colorado.[6] During this period, he developed specialized bent turning tools and techniques for creating thin-walled hollow forms, a method he termed "blind turning."[7] This innovation allowed for the creation of vessels with walls as thin as 1/16 inch, extending possibilities within woodturning.[8]
Ellsworth's work is characterized by minimalist forms that emphasize the natural beauty of wood. His vessels often feature narrow openings and delicate walls, challenging traditional notions of functionality.[10] He draws inspiration from Native American pottery, particularly the works of Hopi-Tewa potter Nampeyo,[11] the architecture of the American Southwest, and the inherent qualities of wood, which he describes as "the most perfectly imperfect material to work with."[4]
Series
After starting out in the 1970s turning functional wooden items such as salt, pepper, and sugar containers, Ellsworth shifted to artistic hollow form bowls, then vessels, and finally to work in artistic series for the rest of his career. His major series include Spheres, Spirit Forms, Black Pots, the Solstice Series of wood sculptures, and the Emergence Series.
Collections
David Ellsworth's wood-turned vessels and sculptures are in the permanent collections of numerous museums.
Ellsworth published the first article on hollow-form turning in Fine Woodworking magazine in 1979.[10] He published an article on turning a pool cue under the pseudonym "Colorado Slim" in 1986.Ellsworth has written numerous tips, shop notes, and short articles for the publications of the American Association of Woodturners including American Woodturner magazine.
In 2008, Ellsworth published the book "Ellsworth on Woodturning: How a Master Creates Bowls, Pots, and Vessels," offering insights into his techniques and philosophy. He has also produced instructional videos covering various aspects of woodturning, including tool use, shop setup, and hollow-form creation.
Personal life
Ellsworth met his wife, Wendy (Neel), an accomplished bead artist, in Colorado in 1975; they married in 1980. The couple resides in Weaverville, North Carolina, where they continue to engage in their respective artistic practices and collaborate on occasion.[18]
Further reading
Ellsworth, David. Ellsworth on Woodturning: How a Master Creates Bowls, Pots, and Vessels. Fox Chapel Publishing, 2008. ISBN1565233778.
Martin, Terry; Wallace, Kevin V. (2008). New masters of woodturning: expanding the boundaries of wood art. East Petersburg, PA: Fox Chapel Pub. ISBN 978-1-56523-334-8. OCLC 182735564 &.
Ellsworth, David (1979). "Hollow turnings: Bent tools and total concentration". Fine Woodworking (16): 62-66.
Ellsworth, David (1986). "Turning a Pool Cue: A hustler shares his secrets". Fine Woodworking (59): 66-69.
↑ Koplos, Janet (2010). Makers:A history of American studio craft. The Center for Craft. pp.392–393. ISBN978-0-8078-3413-8.
↑ Smith, Paul J.; Lucie-Smith, Edward; American Craft Museum; Denver Art Museum; Laguna Beach Museum of Art, eds. (1986). Craft today: poetry of the physical; American Craft Museum [New York 26.10.1986 - 22.3.1987; Denver, Colo.: The Denver Art Mus. 16.5. - 5.7.1987; Laguna Beach, Calif.: Laguna Art Mus. 7.8. - 4.10.1987 ...] (1.ed.). New York, NY: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN978-1-55584-014-3.
↑ Kangas, Matthew; Perreault, John; Cooke, Edward S.; Turner, Tran; Oakland Museum of California; McAllen International Museum (McAllen, Tex.), eds. (1996). Expressions in wood: masterworks from the Wornick collection. Oakland, Calif: Oakland Museum of California. ISBN978-1-882140-15-2.
↑ Jacobson, Edward (1985). The Art of Turned Wooden Bowls. Dutton.
↑ "Creative Couples". American Woodturner. 23 (3): 46–47. 2008.
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