Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 5, 1990 TAG: 9006070576
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MARIANNA FILLMORE SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: RINER LENGTH: Long
The Sumners of Riner are innovative wood turners and woodcrafters who work primarily with the burls, roots and crotches of trees - the unusual and wild parts that many traditional woodworkers reject as flawed. "What others view as defects, we prefer to see as character spots," says Jean. "In fact, the more bizarre the tree growth, the better we like it."
They describe their artistic turnings as "elegance from nature's wild side." Burls and crotches have special grain patterns that lend "a bit of serendipity" to the turnings - the Sumners are never quite sure exactly what the end product will be.
Jean Sumner especially notes the thrill in putting a piece of wood on the lathe and interacting with it: "I like to get to know the wood, to communicate with it, and to feel the spirit of the tree."
Lloyd Sumner explains that many of his works are "dream pieces." Often the form appears in his mind as he sleeps and he awakens, "amazed at its beauty. The shape seems impossible," he admits, "but I could never go back to sleep until I figured out a way to trick the lathe to give me the shape I had dreamed."
Lloyd Sumner characterizes his work as "more visually exciting" while Jean thinks her style is warmer and more comforting, inviting the viewer to touch and hold the piece. "Root Wing Rising" is a dramatic example of Lloyd's work. It is a mas sive yet delicate piece turned from the root burl of mountain laurel "with a root appendage rising gracefully like a wisp of smoke from the rim." On the other hand, "Swirling Sands," a maple burl hollow vessel created by Jean, is smooth and soothing to the touch and cradles nicely in one's hands.
The Sumners are warm, friendly people with a delightful sense of humor and whimsy which often surfaces in the names of their pieces. A willow burl turned to resemble a bonsai tree or the cloud of a baroque painter is titled "Cloud with a Sylvan Lining." The "Holey Grail" is a hollow cherry vessel with natural voids. A delicately shaped cone turned from rich portia wood is aptly named "Raspberry Parfait."
The Sumners are constantly seeking the right raw materials for their work. To supplement their income and to gain access to raw materials they take their portable band saw all over the New River Valley to saw lumber for clients. There they roam the woodlands searching out unique growths and roots. They also seek curious knotholes and hollow logs for their TreeArt mirrors which they began fashioning about five years before wood-turning captured their fancy.
Jean Sumner was the first to become interested in wood-turning. Her father had done woodworking as a hobby, and she would sit on the basement steps as a child, mesmerized by the lathe, while he shaped different forms from the spinning wood with various woodcarving tools. She knew even then that one day she would like to try it herself. About 2 1/2 years ago she received a scholarship from the Virginia Mountain Crafts Guild to study with a master turner in Gatlinburg, Tenn. "Not only did I learn the basics of wood-turning," said Jean, "but I really caught the bug. I came home very excited."
They gradually obtained all the tools she needed to do more than basic bowls. "She wasn't interested in anything but turning," added Lloyd, "so if you can't beat them, join them." They added some of their turnings to their craft inventory and found that they sold quite well. As Jean put it, "Wood-turning has progressed from a dream to an all-consuming passion to a satisfying and profitable activity for us both."
The Sumners believe that their lack of extensive formal training actually adds to the originality of their works. "If you spend too much time with a traditional teacher, I almost think you put limits on yourself because of that training," explains Jean. Lloyd points out that since he has never been told something is impossible, he has "at least three or four styles that nobody else has ever touched, as far as I know."
Jean and Lloyd Sumner have outgrown three lathes as their inspirations have become more elaborate and innovative. "We have ideas that we can't pursue without bigger, heavier equipment," said Jean. They are eagerly awaiting the arrival of an enormous, pattern-maker's lathe built in 1943 that they found in Florida and are having converted in Christiansburg for their needs. It will be able to turn a bowl four feet in diameter and two feet deep, and columns up to 8 1/2 feet long. They have poured a concrete slab in their yard to receive it and will then build a log cabin around it. "We are really looking forward to not being limited by the machine," Jean said.
The Sumners exhibit and sell their works in about a dozen craft shows annually in Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina. They are also active in several professional societies and travel the country attending symposiums and seminars. They write and publish a newsletter that chronicles their woodworking adventures.
by CNB