Joey, as well as being a mother and housewife, is a professional turner who first became interested in woodturning in 1993 after attending classes with Chris Stott RPT and Stuart Mortimer RPT.
She is on the register of professional turners held by the Worshipful Company of Turners, a member of the Association of Woodturners of Great Britain (AWGB) and the Association of American woodturners (AAW).
In 1998 she tentatively entered her first competitive work, ‘The Planets’ in the International woodturning show at Wembley where she gained the runner-up prize. This spurred her on to more competition work where she gained many firsts and trophies for her innovative work gradually honing her skills until in 2002 she was accepted on the Register of Professional Turners. Continuing with her competition work she won the Gold Medal at the International Woodworking Show at Alexandra Palace in the Prestige category in 2004. In that year she wrote her first article for ‘The Woodworker’ magazine and the excellence of her work and articles have gained her a wide following.
The real turning point for her career was when she won the 2005 Bursary award of the
Worshipful Company of Turners which provided the funds for travel to America to study
different techniques. After attending the AAW symposium, the biggest woodturning
event in the world, Joey chose to study with Trent Bosch, David Nittmann and Binh Pho.
She was especially inspired by the work of Binh and after spending three intensive days with
him had her eyes opened to the artistic possibilities of woodturning as an art form. He
taught her the importance of creating from the inner self which has brought new
horizons to her work. Joey, using the new skills of airbrushing colour, piercing and
texturing has actively sought to marry her art into her work, each of her pierces are
unique, each tell their own story, have their own heart and are created with passion.
She now shares these skills and inspires other UK turners by demonstrating these new techniques.
Her work is recognised in the USA as well as in the UK and she is in four private collections in America.
Joey feels very strongly that wood, as a medium for art is greatly undervalued. She is
actively working, with the support of the Worshipful Company of Turners, to promote
wood art in the UK.
Professionally I feel very fortunate to be a female in what is essentially a mans world of wood turning allowing my style to incorporate the delicate and beautiful as well as the big and bold, fully encapsulating wood’s tactile beauty. Each of my pieces are individually handcrafted on a lathe with the cutting, shaping and sanding all controlled by eye allowing for greater originality and whenever possible using reclaimed local timber. Extra diversity is added using piercing, carving, colour and art work.
My excitement and fulfilment comes from creating unique pieces, each telling their own story, having their own heart - all are created with passion.
Trees are a truly beautiful vital resource and wood art allows natures designs to live on in our homes. Wood turning follows skills that began from the mists of antiquity as a base for producing utility items. When this skill is taken beyond its utilitarian roots with creativity and imagination, adding experiences and a passion from deep within the inner soul....... then this becomes art................. for too long wood has played a supportive role in art in the form of canvas, paper and frames.......... let wood now speak for itself.
