Joe Oberhausen, woodturner in Franklin, Indiana
Natural-edge bowls and vases, turned from Indiana hardwoods.
Joe often keeps the bark or tree inclusions as part of the piece. Then he sands, applies a finish and buffs.
He turns bowls, vases, platters and trays from Indiana hardwood and fruit wood.
Recent work
Joe looks for unusual grain, coloring and imperfections in the wood, and builds a unique design around them.
Joe isn't taking commissions or special orders right now.
About Joe
Joe has worked with wood for about 40 years, most of that as a cabinetmaker. In 2013 he turned his first natural-edge bowl and was hooked.
The habit started on his farm in southern Indiana. Cutting firewood, he kept setting aside pieces he couldn't bring himself to burn.
"When I discovered woodturning, I discovered the moment these reserved pieces had been waiting for."
Each piece starts as a few ideas he toys with, and it changes many times before the final piece reveals itself. Then he sands, applies a finish and buffs.
He still remembers his first gallery opening. He was nervous about how the night would go, then watched people run their fingers over the curves and across the finish. "They were feeling exactly what I did when I created it," he says, "and watching someone fall in love with something I created inspires me."
"Optimal height and proportion creates the illusion that a vessel floats on the table. Even a few ounces significantly impacts the experience of holding a vessel."Joe Oberhausen
- Makes
- Bowls, vases, platters, trays
- Wood
- Indiana hardwoods and fruitwoods, often natural-edge with bark or inclusions
- How
- Turned on the lathe, then sanded, finished and buffed
- Based in
- Franklin, Johnson County, Indiana
- Member of
- Indiana Artisan, Art + Fine Craft
Where to buy
Shows
Joe sells in person at Indiana Artisan events, including the Indiana Artisan Marketplace at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis.
Galleries and shops
If any shops or galleries carry Joe's work, they'd be listed here so people can visit between shows.
Ask about a piece
Saw something at a show and want to know if it's still around? Email Joe directly.