ARIZONA WOOD TURNINGS
BY ERIC LIMA
Self-taught wood turning artisan, Eric Lima, of Chandler, AZ, has been creating wood bowls & vases since 1993. The tree varieties he chooses are from Arizona & include mesquite, olive, ironwood & pistachio, to name just a few. The natural turquoise from the Sleeping Beauty Mine of Globe, AZ, added after each form has dried & cracked, further enhances their beauty. The creative process begins when a log is cut with a chain saw to a rough form. Then, it is mounted on the lathe, where it is turned to its basic shape. The piece is set aside to dry for a period of time, then is back on the lathe and gets its final shape. Next comes the meticulous turquoise inlay work. Finally, the piece undergoes sanding and several coats of tung oil finish for a magnificent sheen. The entire process can take a few months to over a year, depending on the size, type of wood and amount of turquoise work. Each piece is one of a kind and individually hand-crafted, with different shapes and sizes.
Eric's Story
“Destined for the landfill or someone’s fireplace, it’s very satisfying to give the trees a new transformation. It’s a rebirth for them, allowing their beauty and majesty to live on in a new life form.” Eric Lima, 2015
Eric Lima was born in Poughkeepsie, NY in 1959 and raised in Boulder, CO. He took every shop class he could in Junior High and High School in both machine and wood. He wanted to take art classes as well, but his father discouraged that, wanting him to play football. Eric moved to Tucson, AZ at the age of eighteen, he attended Pima Community College and worked in the machine trades, first as a steel mold maker, then taking on more jobs and moving up the education ladder into the computerized area of machinery. Ultimately starting his own company servicing and repairing CNC Machinery.
Eric’s love affair with wood began as a hobby in 1993. Since he loves working and creating with his hands, it seemed like a natural fit. He did the usual woodworking things for a short time, but didn’t find his niche until he re-discovered the lathe and turned wood. His first project was a small baseball bat for his young son. After that, came the bowls and vases, very rudimentary in the beginning. They made great family gifts at first, until one day someone at work saw one of his bowls and purchased it. Over time, the turnings became thinner and the turquoise inlay more exquisite, with the great eye for detail and perfection that was instilled in him as a mold maker. He can envision a finished piece when looking at a log, instead of seeing firewood like the rest of us. He’s tried many different inlay materials through the years, but the beautiful marriage of wood and turquoise is now the mainstay. Always looking to improve and evolve, some pieces are now extremely large and some have voids. This makes it more dangerous to turn on the lathe, but very challenging and satisfying. He is truly a self-taught artist , with no formal training, only passion and determination.