From Forest to Table

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Sue Hayes | 0 comments

Rod Garbutt is “Yew Tree”

As far back as I can remember I’ve had an affinity for trees and wood. Growing up in Maple Bay on Vancouver Island the forest was my back yard and playground.

Professionally I worked for the Canadian Forest Service for 28 years as a forest health specialist. The work involved the identification and assessment of disturbances caused by insects and diseases and advising forest managers on mitigation.

I’d always dabbled with woodwork but it wasn’t until I turned 50 that I discovered wood turning. It has been a passion ever since. During this time I’ve experimented with most native hard and softwood species with emphasis on Pacific yew, broad-leaf maple, arbutus, and Garry oak.

In my pieces I strive to combine the two elements of beauty and utility. Beauty resides in the shape and finish as well as natural grain variations that make every piece unique. I specialize in salad bowls and serving platters. Each piece is finished with a food safe oil from the Chinese Tung tree.

Posted in arbutus, dogwood, garry oak, maple, rod garbutt, wooden bowls, wooden platters, yew wood

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About Side Street Studio

The story of Side Street Studio is more than the history
of a business. It is the physical expression of a belief
that real art should be accessible to everyone. It is
also the evolution of a business model supported by
principles of community-building economics.

Here’s how it happened.. read more