William Cook, Lexington, KY

Fairwynds Turning

wood

After 38 years as a general surgeon in Eastern Kentucky, William "Bill" Cook exchanged his surgical instruments for wood turning tools. Both Bill's paternal grandfather and father had worked with wood as avocations. In 1947, when Bill wasin his early teens, he won an award for a Napoleonic Coach he built for General Motors' national Fisher Body Craftsman Guild Competition. Upon retirement, woodworking was a natural direction for Bill.

After exploring woodturning at the John C. Campbell Folk School, NC and the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, TN; Bill developed his skills and became juried into the KY Crafted program. His turnings range from dreidels (small spinning tops used in games played at Hanukkah) and bottle stoppers to natural edge vases and footed and carved platters and vases with mineral and metal inlays.

He enjoys turning pieces that are artistic yet functional; that are meant to be used and enjoyed. Bill is a member of the American Association of Woodturners and is on the board of its local chapter, the Bluegrass Area Woodturners.

Bill's work can be found at the Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea, Berea, KY.