Sycamore Vase by Midwest Wood Art

This turned wood vase was made by Lyndal Anthony and embellished by Joan Overhouse of Midwest Wood Art in Dubuque, Iowa.

Made of sycamore wood with wood-burning details.

Dimensions: approximately 17.5" tall.

Lyndal:

I moved to Dubuque in 2001 to live with my significant other Joan Overhouse when I was laid off from my machinist job in Cedar Rapids.  Since my job was moved off shore, I was eligible to go back to school on a federal grant.  I always wanted a college degree, so I decided to become and Industrial/Technology Education teacher.  I graduated in 2005 from the University of Northern Iowa and started teaching at East Dubuque High School in 2006.  There was a single wood lathe in the high school shop.  I knew everything about turning metal, but nothing about turning wood, so in order to teach wood turning, I knew I needed to learn wood turning.  I took a one day workshop on how to turn a wooden bowl and was hooked.  

Joni:

I am a native of Dubuque.  After retiring from Flexsteel Industries after 35 years I took a class on bowl turning in 2008. I wasn't impressed, so I gave up turning until 2011 when I was talked into taking a class and fell in love with pen turning. Since then I have made pens, seam rippers, cake testers, and just started turning platters. I like making acrylic pens the best.

Lyndal and I were at the American Association of Woodturners 25th Anniversary Symposium in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2011, touring the vendors area.  I noticed someone demonstrating pyrography/woodburning and asked Lyndal if he wanted a woodburner for Christmas.  He said "I guess so", so I bought one for him.  I ended up being the one to use it and I now do the pyrography and water coloring on some of Lyndal's turnings.

Find more of Lyndal and Joni's work here.