Yvonne turns pieces ranging in size from small nut kernels to large platters, her real love though is artistic work which she is now concentrating on more and more. Her range of hand crafted wooden forms is constantly evolving, with the beauty of an individual piece of wood often inspiring her to produce new shapes and designs.
The forms are of a very high standard and quality reflecting Yvonne's depth of expertise and passion for the medium of wood. Her work is now sought after by collectors outside the county, indeed her work can now be found in places as far afield as Japan, Australia, the USA and Canada as well as in the EEC.
Although Yvonne uses some wood from commercial suppliers the majority of the timber is now being sourced in the green state, from locally grown trees that have had to be felled, or have been blown down, and then seasoned by herself. This means that the natural defects such as checks, knots, swirls, etc., normally removed by commercial suppliers, may be incorporated into the final pieces. Yvonne works sympathetically with the wood letting it dictate the form, but using her design and artistic skills to transform the inherent grain and texture of the wood into a finished work of art.
Examples of her work can be seen in the online gallery. Her work is also on exhibition, where it can be seen and of course touched for that tactile and sensual experience and a number of art galleries in the UK. She also attends occasional craft fairs and festivals where you can see her work. At some shows Yvonne demonstrates her turning techniques.
Her Introduction To Woodturning
At college Yvonne gained GCE A levels in maths, further maths, physics & computing, earning her a place at Exeter University reading Mathematics.
Yvonne moved to Cornwall with her parents in 1998. In the latter part of 1999 she saw her father turning a finial for a piece of furniture, and asked to have a go at turning. After a short lesson by him on safety and the art of tooling, she turned her first piece of work.
She quickly gained a very good understanding of wood types and their properties; this together with her exacting standards means that she only turns out work to an extremely high standard. In just three years and at only 22 her standard and expertise were such that she was accepted onto the Register of Professional Turners supported by the Worshipful Company of Turners of London.
Woodturning
Woodturning Video
The Woodturning DVD called Lacework Techniques with Yvonne Arlott continues to sell all round the world.