Beneath the Bark, Twenty Five Years of Woodturning by Kip W. Christensen and Dale L. Nish is the Catalogue for the Exhibition of the the same title and represents the Work of some 140 Woodturners who have Participated and Presented at the Utah Woodturning Symposium in the first 25 years of this Annual Event. The first Utah Woodturning Symposium was held in 1979 , organised by Dale and this Book takes us through to 2004, although the vast majority of the Work shown in the Catalogue is from the later half of this period and therefore many of the pieces will be familiar to you. as they have been reproduced in numerous publications over the years.

The Introduction gives you an insight to how the Symposium has grown and matured over the years, with new concepts and changing demonstrations being adopted, you get the impression that each Symposium is different from the next ensuring a healthy  and continued support from all that attend.

The Catalogue itself contains the Work of 139 Woodturners, plus the Yahoo Penturners Group, the Work of each Woodturner is displayed on a single page with the majority showing two of there pieces, many of these are what  are commonly referred to as "Signature Pieces" and therefore instantly recognisable,  I however found many Turners here that I had not seen before.

The Woodturners are listed and displayed alphabetically starting with the late Ray Allen and ending with Vic Wood just ahead of the Yahoo Penturners Group page, and with over 280 pieces on display there is something here to inspire everyone.

Beneath the Bark, Twenty Five Years of Woodturning by Kip W. Christensen and Dale L. Nish 
ISBN  0-9749789-0-6

Each of the Woodturners is afforded a 6 page spread to express there Opinions, there Work Environment, Techniques and show there Work, one thing that is apparent is that most of these Turners have idyllic Workshops, great Location, with fantastic views and an access to nature.

It is also apparent that many spend as much, if not more, time adding to or embellishing the initial Turned item, whether it be Carving, Coloring or both, and therefore if you are a Woodturning Purist then this Book is probably not for you? however it should be viewed by all of us as it covers a good deal more than just the Turning.

Most of the Turners that you would expect to be here are included and as a result much of the Work on display is familiar and instantly recognisable, now you also get a Face to put with the Name and there vision and views on Woodturning and where it is going.

Whilst reading through this book and looking at the images I was constantly asking "How is that done"? in fact I have asked the same question every time I have seen many pieces in the past, now I think I can understand how Alain Mailland produces his distinctive Forms, and Marilyn Campbell constructs here unique Black and White Vessels to highlight but two.

Could I reproduce these pieces, probably, but certainly not so well, but there is enough in this book to start the Think Buds going and therefore hopefully enabling me to produce that unique design that could, one day, become my Signature Piece, all it seems I need are a few extra Tools,  High Speed Handpiece and Burrs, a Pyography Pen and a Air Brush plus a few other odds and ends and  a great deal of time.

This book should not disappoint anyone that purchases it.

New Masters of Woodturning , Expanding the Boundaries of Wood Art., by Terry Martin & Kevin Wallace
ISBN  978-1-56523-334-8