Enamored with the irregular shapes that result from wood shrinking and drying, artist George Peterson sculpts a form while the wood is still green. "Depending on how I align the grain in the bowl, I can encourage it to warp in a certain way."

"I take an intuitive and spontaneous approach to my work," adds Peterson. "I begin with a fresh cut tree that I get from my local tree removal service. After trimming the log with my chainsaw, I then attach the block to the lathe. I use gouges to carve the wood as it turns on the lathe. The action of shaping the wood with my hand-held tools is satisfying in a very basic way."

As I work the wood, I collaborate with it. The wood has a voice, and I have a voice, so we interact. The finished piece illustrates that interplay."

Peterson is a self-taught artist, working fulltime since 1992. He participated in the International Turning Exchange Artist-in-Residence program.