Everywhere we look we see thoughtful discussions on the mechanics of woodturning, discussions on lathes, gouges, other tools, finishes and wood properties. Less frequently we see more detailed discussions of the theory of tool presentation, history of woodturning, and profiles of turners. These topics are better covered by writers more qualified than me. Here we will explore the creative process by looking at what fosters the creative process or what is called flow. This flow is something we all have experienced. This is the experience we have when we become so absorbed that we lose track of time. We feel in complete control of our environment and everything supports our goals.

When we let go of all preconceived notions about the work in progress and focus on the moment to moment experience, we naturally fall into a realm of consciousness called flow. This flow consciousness facilitates creativity by allowing us to connect with the universe. Time stands still, our vision becomes focused, and the universe conspires to support our creativity. There are three broad steps to creativity. First, we must get out of the way, second, we have to live in the moment and third, we need to practice the axiom “Just Do It”.

Get Out Of The Way

The synergy of the turning process really what woodturners are striving for. When we become focused on the process, as it presents itself and get out of the way, rather than striving for some future goal (a perfect vessel) or regretting some past action (wishing the wood had more figure), then we feel the release of creativity called flow.

This flow is something we are all capable of and it is the source of things creative, artistic, sensual and spiritual – even the simplest bowl can be transcendental if the turner remains focused on the process and forgets all expectations and regrets.Gene Pozzesi and Bret Marsh  are just two whose bowls connect with the viewer in way that transcends their seemingly simple shape. They expand our understanding of what a simple bowl can be. Their work is imbued with precision, with spirit, with their presence. Learning how to let go of our expectation and stop trying to force our will on our work will continue to be one the biggest challenges of a turner through out their career.

Here a Zen Buddhist Master tells one of his students how to live in the moment. The student is getting instruction on archery. The problem the student complains about is his inability to advance in the skill of archery. The student feels he should be doing better after all his practice and concentration. He still can’t get it.

“The right shot at the right moment does not come because you do not let go of yourself. You do not wait for fulfillment, but brace yourself for failure. So long as that is so, you have no choice but to call forth something yourself that ought to happen independently of you, and so long as you call it forth your hand will not open in the right way – like the hand of a child. Your hand does not burst open like the skin of a ripe fruit.”


Live in the moment (or at least enjoy the moment you find yourself living in)

More than half the battle is giving us permission to live in the moment. The universe often seems to conspire to rob us of our spontaneity and creativity. Life is messy, full of responsibilities and commitments, strife and problems. People depend on us, we depend on others. We often worry about things we can’t change. We struggle to live in the moment, without worrying or fretting about the past, or planning what's coming up in the next week. We can make our shop a refuge, a place where we are nurtured and unencumbered by the pressures of life. The shop is a sanctuary and in many ways it becomes a spiritual place where we connect with the good in ourselves. (This idea may seem a little funny given the condition of some of the shops we’ve seen.)

Just Do it

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, in his seminal work on the creative process, interviewed thousands of artists, athletes, religious mystics, scientists and ordinary working people looking for the makeup of optimal experiences and the creative spark. One question that drove him in this search was – why were these people devoting so much time to their respective activities?

“It was clear from the talking to them that what kept them motivated was the quality of experience they felt when they were involved with the activity. This feeling didn’t come when they were relaxing, when they were taking drugs or alcohol, or when they were consuming the expensive privileges of wealth. Rather, it often involved painful, risky, difficult activities that stretched the person’s capacity and involved an element of novelty and discovery. This optimal experience is what I have called flow, because many of the respondents described the feeling when things were going well as an almost automatic, effortless, yet highly focused state of consciousness. “


So why bother with the processes of creativity? Because for those who turn wood – it doesn’t matter rather they turn giftware, tableware, for the trades, for craft or high art – creativity is an antidote to the alienation of the modern world. Woodturners use turning to enter the flow state of intense and satisfying concentration. Our work embodies a human presence and a sincerity that grows out of this creative experience of flow. All of this is meaningful in a world that sometimes is less than its potential.

For us the sense of tactile feedback we get while holding the gouge against the spinning wood is spiritual. Ribbons of wood fly over the shoulder. There is a shape being created under the gouge, guided by the spirit and the hand. Removing wood to reveal what lies beneath. Our connection with the wood and the design are mesmerizing and spiritual. Time stops, creativity springs forth we connect with the universe. The wood draws us in, spinning and spinning like clay on a potters wheel wanting to be molded into a vessel.