The gallery owner saw me marveling at an intricately designed piece of Mata Ortiz pottery. “If you like this,” she said, “you will really love the vessels designed by Nelson Cassinger.” 

She showed me an incredible wooden vessel, designed out of hundreds of pieces of segmented wood. It was a marvelous piece of art, finished to perfection with such a thin sidewall it felt like air. I had never seen anything so inspiring. 

I learned he lived in Las Vegas, so one day I paid him a visit at his house. I knocked on the door and was face to face with the artist himself. “I love your work,” I said. “I saw it at the gallery, and I just wanted to meet you and tell you.” 

He invited me in and gave me a tour of his shop...

 Dogwood Studios was founded in 2020 to promote the work of both Nelson Cassinger and his apprentice, Chris Publow. The net proceeds from any sold pieces will be used to promote woodturning among young students in the local community. Thank you for viewing Dogwood Studios.

After I met Nelson Cassinger, the great woodturner, I would visit him often to talk about his work and his life.  He became my friend and he allowed me to apprentice under him. When his eyes began failing him, I drove him to the Utah Woodturning Symposium. Nelson continued to mentor me right up until the end of his life. When he passed away in 2017, Nelson left me all of his equipment, wood and tools. Since then, I have been trying to learn how to use them. I watch lots of videos and make a lot of mistakes, but I am determined to honor his efforts in mentoring me...