NEW MEETING LOCATION — Lighthouse Worship Center, 98 S. Trade Way, Rocky Point, NC 28457 (about 10 minutes north of our previous campus meeting site)
This month's meeting features social time, club news, member sharing or projects, and an instructional demo.
In this session, Michael will demystify the process of transforming a solid piece of wood into an intricately patterned, woven-looking masterpiece.
During the presentation, Michael will turn an 8-inch plate, giving attendees a front-row seat to his entire workflow from raw wood to finished illusion.
The demonstration will be broken down into three core phases:
Planning and Design: Learn how to approach the geometry of the illusion, map out the layout, and plan the visual "weave" before the lathe even turns on.
Turning and Technique: Watch the foundational steps of shaping the plate and turning the precise, uniform beads required to create the physical texture of the basket.
Burning and Coloring: Discover the meticulous detailing that brings the piece to life. Michael will demonstrate his pyrography process for burning the intersecting lines, followed by his techniques for applying vibrant archival dyes and India inks to complete the illusion.
Whether you are looking to attempt your first basket illusion or want to refine your beading and coloring techniques, this step-by-step demonstration will provide valuable insights into this highly rewarding form of wood art.
About the Demonstrator
Michael Earley is a full-time professional wood artist based in Angier, North Carolina, specializing in the complex and meticulous basket illusion technique. He currently serves as the President of the Woodturner’s Guild of North Carolina (WGNC). Michael exhibits his wood art at highly competitive, nationally ranked art festivals across the country. He is an award-winning artist whose work has been recognized at prestigious events including the Smithsonian Craft Show, the PhiladelphiaMuellerof Art Fine CraftShow, and the Cherry Creek Art Festival. His pieces are celebrated for their exceptional attention to detail, seamlessly blending precision woodturning, pyrography, and vivid hand-painted colorwork.