Beautiful hand turned bowls and containers

About Denny

My husband, Denny White, restored antique furniture for a living and spindle turned all kinds of furniture parts over the years. However, his passion for turning came to full fruition in the summer of 2024, when he began turning bowls and containers at the still young age of 78! His years of woodworking steeped in historical tradition, left him with a love of wood and an intuitive sensitivity toward simplicity and economy of form. He loves items that are old and well-constructed and derives inspiration for his work from prehistoric and indigenous cultures. For me, many of his pieces transmit a feeling from another time, when a sacred and practical use of objects blended together.

In 2022, Denny and I relocated from the Newfane and Brattleboro area, deeper into the wilderness of Vermont. We reside now on Danby’s majestic marble mountain and thrive upon the pastoral beauty of the landscape. Most of the wood that Denny uses for his work is gathered from deadfall on the land that surrounds us. Those pieces in particular reflect a tribute toward the tree and mountain from which they arose. However, some of the highly figured and exotic wood that Denny turns are leftover remnants from his years of cabinetry restoration. Also, for those of us who look closely, beautiful wood often shows up in a delivery of firewood! Friends sometimes drop by with an old log that portends a hidden treasure.

Denny’s work is currently priced from about $80 to $500, with most items falling in the $100 to $300 price range. Pieces that have been photographed and cataloged may be found here: Inventory of Work

What is spalted wood?

Many of Denny’s pieces are turned from spalted wood. As wood begins to decay on the forest floor, unique varieties of fungi leave nuanced colors and whimsical black lines within the wood as they flourish upon it. Like breaking open a geode, it can be a surprise to see what’s hidden inside nature’s wooden canvas. Often beautiful landscape-like patterns emerge. The lines and coloring are 100% natural, with each turned piece capturing and retaining a portion of the history of the tree that formed it.

We do not recommend washing the spalted bowls or containers as they may crack or warp. Denny uses polishes and finishes that are nontoxic, but a glue or grit may have been used in the turning process that has not been labeled as food safe. Therefore, we do not recommend using these pieces for eating. However, they are likely safe for holding food items like salt or whole fresh fruit.

Where to Buy Denny’s Work

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