Featured Artist – Mark Murakami

Mark Murakami is an amateur furniture maker and woodturner located in Calgary, Alberta.   While he enjoys many different types of wood turning, segmented turning is of particular interest to him because of the creativity, precision and attention to detail that is required.

Each piece is unique based on the design and arrangement of the segments as well as the natural variations found in the wood itself.  He uses numerous different hardwoods in trying to create attractive yet simple pieces – characterized by traditional shapes with simple lines.

One of Mark’s pieces (pictured below) was selected by the Southern Alberta Woodworkers Society for inclusion in their 2007 Fine Works in Wood Exhibition.  This was a juried exhibition where entries are chosen for display based on a judging and review process involving a Standards Committee as well as an independent jury.