Turned2Treasure

Natural-edge bowls

Tall burl vase with a natural, jagged rim, turned by Joe Oberhausen

By Joe Oberhausen, woodturner in Franklin, Indiana

Joe turns bowls, vases, platters and trays from Indiana hardwood and fruit wood, often keeping the bark or tree inclusions as part of the piece. Then he sands, applies a finish and buffs.

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Recent work

Joe looks for unusual grain, coloring and imperfections in the wood, and builds a unique design around them.

Natural-edge bowl with bark left along the rim
Natural-edge bowl with the bark left on the rim
Round hollow vessel with a bark opening at the top
Hollow vessel with a bark opening
Burl bowl with a wavy natural edge on a dark turned pedestal
Burl bowl on a turned pedestal
Six salt and pepper mills in light and dark woods on a burl slab
Mills in light and dark woods

Scroll sideways for more. Joe isn't taking commissions or special orders right now.

"Optimal height and proportion creates the illusion that a vessel floats on the table."

Joe Oberhausen

About Joe

Joe has worked with wood for about 40 years, starting as a cabinetmaker. In 2013 he turned his first natural-edge bowl and was hooked.

It 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. He cares about proportion as much as the finish. "Even a few ounces significantly impacts the experience of holding a vessel."

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."

Makes
Bowls, vases, platters, trays
Wood
Indiana hardwood and fruit wood
Based in
Franklin, Johnson County
Member of
Indiana Artisan, Art + Fine Craft

Shows

Joe sells in person at Indiana Artisan events, including the Indiana Artisan Marketplace at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis.

Upcoming dates

Show dates and booth numbers go here.

Galleries and shops

Any shops or galleries that carry Joe's work go here.

Ask about a piece

Saw something at a show and want to know if it's still around? Email Joe directly.