Greetings, and thanks for visiting. Joe Nestlerode (nessel-road) here. I have been passionate about woodturning for many years, and now I pursue the craft full-time. (After 30 years in Research & Development at the DuPont Co., I elected to accept the generous “early-retirement” package offered by the company in January 2016.)
My primary focus is handcrafted bowls, but I also make plates, platters, and other woodenware and decorative pieces, such as rolling pins, holiday ornaments, and hollow vessels, including urns. While many pieces are similar in form, each one is a unique creation. I enjoy embellishing some of them with subtle hand-carved details that state, unmistakably: handmade. Most of my pieces are meant to be used, and if cared for, should last for generations.
Probably 98% of the wood I use is sustainably sourced from local trees that have come down or need to be taken down. I literally turn logs into bowls.
I try to be active in the local art community, and in late 2021 I was appointed to the Delaware State Arts Council, which is the advisory body to the Delaware Division of the Arts. The Council advises the Division of the Arts on matters of arts policy, funding for the arts, and other issues relevant to support for the arts in Delaware.
I have been a member of First State Woodturners for many years. I am currently FSW’s President, and I also handle their website, mailing list, and social media.
Several pieces are available for purchase, and I have many more in the pipeline. If you have a beloved tree that has come down – or is scheduled to be taken down – and would like bowls made from it for your family, please contact me. It’s best if I’m there on the day it’s taken down, or soon thereafter, as the logs will start to split and degrade within a month or so, depending on the species. (There is no up-front cost to you, and never an obligation to purchase.)
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Instagram: @joewoodturner
Twitter: @joewoodturner
Flickr: nestlerode
Facebook: jwoodturner